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Flora and Fauna
Actiniaria
Media
SUMMARY
Sea-anemones are radially symmetrical animals related to corals. Anemones have a cylindrical body with a mouth at one end surrounded by rings of tentacles, often arranged in multiples of six. Anemones are often attached to rocks or other solid substrata by a basal disk. Some species burrow and have a rounded basal disk. In intertidal species the tentacles are withdrawn into the body when the tide is out. Anemones are predators feeding on other animals, subduing the prey with many tiny stinging cells (nematocysts) found in their tentacles.
Key features for identification include the distribution and arrangement of tentacles. The colour of the body and tentacles of the live anemone can provide useful field characters. Identification of species will frequently require dissection to determine features such as mesenteries (internal divisions within the body) and internal muscle arrangements. Other characters such as the presence of different types of nematocysts (stinging cells used to capture prey) can only be observed with high-powered microscopes.
In Ranong sea-anemones are found among the rocks, shells and stones of beaches such as Prapas.