Anemones - Hexacorralia

Although Sea Anemones look like flowers, they are predatory animals. These invertebrates have no skeleton at all. They live attached to firm objects in the seas, usually the sea floor, rock, or coral, but they can slide around very slowly. Sea anemones are very long lived. Hermit crabs sometimes attach sea anemones to their shells for camouflage. There are over 1000 species of anemones found in coastal waters worldwide, in shallow waters (including coral reefs), and in deep oceans. Clown fish always live near anemones; they are immune from (and protected by) the stinging tentacles. The clown fish help the anemone by cleaning the tentacles and perhaps by scaring away predators. Sea Anemones come in many shapes, sizes, and colors.

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