Dahlia Anemone
 

Common Name(s):  Dahlia Anemone Scientific Name:            Urticina felina Family: Usual Size:  cm

                           Photograph by Andy Horton

Identification:   The Dahlia Anemone is the largest of the common sea anemones found around the British Isles inhabitating the shallow seas all around the coast and occasionally found on rocky shores during the colder months of the year. Despite its large size and spectacular colours it is often overlooked between the tides, its tentacles covered in gravel. It is an Arctic species intolerant of sea temperatures in excess of 22°C.  DahliaAnemones Urticina felina Photograph  by Joe Bater Dahlia Anemone off Brighton, Sussex, by Sean Clark (Link) Marlin Web Page for the Dahlia Anemone   30 March 2002 at Lancing Beach. In this photograph by Ray Hamblett, you can imagine how a crab could blunder into the sea anemone and be eaten.     Similar species:   Urticina eques Breeding:  Reproduction (Marlin web page) Habitat:   Food: Macrophagous. Diet includes crab, mussels.  The diet of the Dahlia Anemone is known to include large crabs and mussels in their shells. The mussels are smashed off the rocks by the waves and fall down into rock gullies where these anemones may congregate. Its method of feeding on crabs is unclear. I am still unsure whether the crabs blunder into the tentacles and get swallowed up dead or alive. Aquarium study sheds no further light on the capture. One spider crab species the Short-legged Spider Crab, Eurynome aspera,was observed to live amongst the blunt tentacles of this sea anemone for over a year before being swallowed up over night.   Range: Worldwide, Arctic and temperate, below 22° C.  American Pacific photographs at:  British Columbia (Canada)  Pacific Ocean photographs Additional Notes: Reports:   The image was taken by Mike Grundon (I found it, he photographed it!) The grid reference, taken from the ordinance survey map sheet 4 HU is 365 205, south shore of St. Ninian's Isle, west coast of south Shetland mainland. Report by Elizabeth Wark   Information wanted: Please send any records of this sea anemone, with location, date, who discovered it, how it was identified, prevalence, common name and any other details to:  Shorewatch Project EMail Glaucus@hotmail.com.  All messages will receive a reply.    Shorewatch Project