Tube anemone

Biology

The tube anemone has a long, soft, cylindrical body, that can reach about 40 centimetres, and is topped with a crown of more than 200 tentacles, forming two whorls of tentacles. Tentacles in the inner whorl transfer food to the central mouth. Those in the outer whorl are long and armed with stinging cells used for catching prey. It builds a hard tube to live in, by secreting a mucus, that sand and other particles adhere to, forming a protective tube. When disturbed, it retreats completely inside the tube.