Department of Zoology at ANDC/Zoology Museum/Museum specimens/Cnidaria/Metridium

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{|cellpadding="5" cellspacing="6" style="width:100%;background:#FFFFFF; border-style:solid; border-width:3px; border-color:#0066FF;" Date & Time : 28, August 2024      
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=Common Name=

Sea anemone or Plumose anemone

=Distribution=

Found on the Atlantic Coast, Northen Pacific coast and Europe. =Habitat=

It is marine and sessile form, found attached to the rocks and solid objects; from tide pools to a depth of 90 fathoms.

=Identifying Features=
 * Body is cylindrical and divisible into 3 distinct reagions; pedal disc, column and oral disc.


 * Body size may vary from few centimeters to 1 meter.


 * Pedal disc (foot) helps in attachment with substratum.


 * Column is diffrentiated into two parts: Capitulum(thin-walled) and Scapus(thick-walled.


 * The wall of scapus is perforated by small openings called cinclides.


 * Oral disc has a mouth in the centre which is surrounded by numerous tentacles.

=General Characters=


 * Mouth opens into gastrovascular cavity via a short gullet.


 * Sea anemones are predaceous, immobilizing their prey with the aid of specialized stinging cells called nematocysts.


 * They feed on small planktons.


 * Sexes are separate. Gonads are present on mesentries.