Diving in Bali. Interesting facts: Sea anemones and anemonefish
Well, we would really like to share with you not only photos of various living organisms taken during diving in Bali, but also interesting facts about them. And first of all we present anemonefish (also called clownfish) that are liked by many people and exist in a special relationship with sea anemones; this unusual relationship is called symbiosis.
Sea anemones, or actiniae, are vividly colored predatory animals. They are named for the anemone, a terrestrial flower, because of a certain similarity. Their tentacles are armed with many stinging cells inside of which there are stinging twisted threads and a dose of venom. Thus, they are both defensive and used to capture prey. Sea anemones feed on small invertebrates and fish. A touch to the tentacles of the sea anemone triggers a cell «explosion», which launches a harpoon-like structure that attaches to the organism that triggered it, and injects a dose of venom into the flesh of the aggressor or prey. Then the prey is moved by these tentacles to the mouth for digestion.
However, sea anemones pose a threat not to all small aquatic inhabitants. Some fish and shrimp are not afraid to be swallowed by sea anemones, but even use them as a protection. Amazing anemonefish are the best known examples of fish with immunity against venom of sea anemones, which is lethal for other organisms. The point is that the mucus coat of anemonefish protects the fish from the venom in the tentacles of sea anemones. Anemonefish rarely stray more than 1 – 2 meters beyond their shelter and constantly swim over sea anemones, and in case of danger anemonefish hide among the venomous tentacles of sea anemones.
28 species are recognized; depending on species, anemonefish can be of different colors – yellow, orange or reddish, black and even pink with white bars or patches. The largest can reach a length of 18 cm, while usually anemonefish achieve 10 cm. You can often see lonely sea anemones underwater, but anemonefish cannot exist without sea anemones, as they become an easy prey for predators. The most commonly known species is Amphiprion percula – an anemonefish, which possesses exactly the same bright orange color and white bars as Nemo, the star of Disney's «Finding Nemo».
Sea anemones and anemonefish are found at all the dive sites in Bali and the variety of species, beauty and brightness are amazing. Diving in Bali is the best adventure!
Sea anemones, or actiniae, are vividly colored predatory animals. They are named for the anemone, a terrestrial flower, because of a certain similarity. Their tentacles are armed with many stinging cells inside of which there are stinging twisted threads and a dose of venom. Thus, they are both defensive and used to capture prey. Sea anemones feed on small invertebrates and fish. A touch to the tentacles of the sea anemone triggers a cell «explosion», which launches a harpoon-like structure that attaches to the organism that triggered it, and injects a dose of venom into the flesh of the aggressor or prey. Then the prey is moved by these tentacles to the mouth for digestion.
However, sea anemones pose a threat not to all small aquatic inhabitants. Some fish and shrimp are not afraid to be swallowed by sea anemones, but even use them as a protection. Amazing anemonefish are the best known examples of fish with immunity against venom of sea anemones, which is lethal for other organisms. The point is that the mucus coat of anemonefish protects the fish from the venom in the tentacles of sea anemones. Anemonefish rarely stray more than 1 – 2 meters beyond their shelter and constantly swim over sea anemones, and in case of danger anemonefish hide among the venomous tentacles of sea anemones.
28 species are recognized; depending on species, anemonefish can be of different colors – yellow, orange or reddish, black and even pink with white bars or patches. The largest can reach a length of 18 cm, while usually anemonefish achieve 10 cm. You can often see lonely sea anemones underwater, but anemonefish cannot exist without sea anemones, as they become an easy prey for predators. The most commonly known species is Amphiprion percula – an anemonefish, which possesses exactly the same bright orange color and white bars as Nemo, the star of Disney's «Finding Nemo».
Sea anemones and anemonefish are found at all the dive sites in Bali and the variety of species, beauty and brightness are amazing. Diving in Bali is the best adventure!
