Alicia mirabilis

Alicia mirabilis, commonly known as the berried anemone,[1] is a species of sea anemone in the family Aliciidae. It changes shape as night falls expanding its column and tentacles to catch its food. It can be found in the Azores, Portugal, Spain and the Mediterranean and Red Seas.[2]

Alicia mirabilis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Anthozoa
Order: Actiniaria
Family: Aliciidae
Genus: Alicia
Species:
A. mirabilis
Binomial name
Alicia mirabilis
Johnson, 1861
Synonyms
  • Alicia costae (Panceri, 1868)
  • Cladactis costa Panceri, 1868
  • Cladactis costae Panceri, 1868
  • Cladactis mirabilis (Johnson, 1861)

Description

By day, Alicia mirabilis resembles a pile of berries, thus the common name berried anemone. By night, it expands its column to up to 40 cm tall and opens its tentacles. When fully extended, the tentacles may actually be longer than the column height. Both the tentacles and the "berries" contain stinging cells.

References
  1. "Berried Anemone". Archipelago Wildlife Library. Archived from the original on 2014-07-15. Retrieved July 18, 2013.
  2. Jacob van der Land (2013). "Alicia mirabilis". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved July 18, 2013.
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