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Green Anemone Tentacles
This is a close-up shot of a Green Anemone (Anthopleura xanthogrammica). You will find many of these anemones in tide pools along the California coast. These cnidarians are well suited for the difficult intertidal environment where half of the day is spent underwater and the other half is spent in a small shallow pool. Even though they might be able to survive daily crashing waves, they are very vulnerable to pollution. These organisms are able to float through the water when they are young, but as they enter their adult phase, they anchor to a rock and begin to grow tentacles. The tentacles are used to sting and capture prey. They are able to sting prey with specialized cells along the tentacle. These cells are called nematocysts and contain a spring-loaded coil filled with poison. When prey gets too close, the nematocysts fire and the tentacles wrap around the prey. Their green coloring comes from algae that live within the tissues of the anemone. Image Credit: Andrew Rader Studios/Biology4Kids.com Download Wallpaper: 800 x 600 | 1024 x 768 Related galleries: Plants | Animals | Microscopic
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Go for site help or list of biology topics at the site map!©copyright 1997-2007 Andrew Rader Studios, All rights reserved. Current Page: Biology4Kids.com | Downloads | Green Anemone Wallpaper |
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