Orange Tube Anemone - Cerianthus membranaceus

The Orange Tube Anemone - Cerianthus membranaceus is a variety of Tube Anemone with an orange oral disc, a green mouth area and long orange tentacles that reach out well past its body. They are non-photosynthetic (NPS), which means that they do not have the symbiotic algae zooxanthellae hosted within their bodies to provide their nutritional requirements through photosynthesis. Instead the Orange Tube Anemone uses its stinging tentacles to capture plankton and crustaceans from the water column. The tentacles sting the prey and then move the food towards the Anemones mouth. Tube Anemones differ from other species of Anemones in that they do not have a foot or basal sucker, and instead build up a tube made of hardened mucus, sand, rubble and discharge nettle cells. The tube provides the anemone a safe place to retreat to when threatened by predators or while recovering from stressful events. Orange Tube Anemones are hermaphrodites allowing each specimen to produce both eggs and sperm. However, two specimens are required to reproduce as reproduction takes place sexually with one specimen releasing eggs, while the other releases sperm.