Species Type:
Invertebrates
Common Name(s):
Mat anemone
Size:
Mat anemones grow to large sizes over dead corals, rocks and other hard surfaces.
Diet:
Using its polyp tentacles, mat anemones will catch and eat smaller marine organisms that drift by. They also have a special algae—called zooxanthellae– in their tissues that photosynthesize the sun's rays into energy/food.
Range & Habitat:
In the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic ocean and Caribbean Sea, mat anemones grow in shallow reef environments, anywhere from one to four meters deep.
Details:
Mat anemones can be various colors including blue, green, pink and yellow. They have hardened circles around each polyp, giving the anemone a bumpy texture.