The snakelocks anemone (''Anemonia viridis'') is a

sea anemone Sea anemones are a group of predatory marine invertebrates of the order Actiniaria. Because of their colourful appearance, they are named after the '' Anemone'', a terrestrial flowering plant. Sea anemones are classified in the phylum Cnidaria, ...

found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. The latter population is however sometimes considered a separate species, the Mediterranean snakelocks anemone (''Anemonia sulcata''). The tentacles are usually a deep green colour with purple tips, the green colour is often attributed to the presence of

symbiotic Symbiosis (from Greek , , "living together", from , , "together", and , bíōsis, "living") is any type of a close and long-term biological interaction between two different biological organisms, be it mutualistic, commensalistic, or para ...

algae Algae (; singular alga ) is an informal term for a large and diverse group of photosynthetic eukaryotic organisms. It is a polyphyletic grouping that includes species from multiple distinct clades. Included organisms range from unicellular micr ...

within the

tentacle In zoology, a tentacle is a flexible, mobile, and elongated organ present in some species of animals, most of them invertebrates. In animal anatomy, tentacles usually occur in one or more pairs. Anatomically, the tentacles of animals work main ...

s but is actually the result of the presence of

Green Fluorescent Protein The green fluorescent protein (GFP) is a protein that exhibits bright green fluorescence when exposed to light in the blue to ultraviolet range. The label ''GFP'' traditionally refers to the protein first isolated from the jellyfish '' Aequore ...

which is present in corals, sea anemones, and some other cnidarians. The anemone tissue contains a symbiotic algae called

zooxanthellae Zooxanthellae is a colloquial term for single-celled dinoflagellates that are able to live in symbiosis with diverse marine invertebrates including demosponges, corals, jellyfish, and nudibranchs. Most known zooxanthellae are in the genus ''S ...

, which is necessary for the long-term survival of the sea anemone. When the numbers of algae diminish the anemone may appear dull grey in colour. The algae need light to flourish, so Snakelocks Anemones will be found in the sunniest pools. On average the snakelock anemone is 8 cm wide.

Reproduction

Unlike other

cnidarians Cnidaria () is a phylum under kingdom Animalia containing over 11,000 species of aquatic animals found both in freshwater and marine environments, predominantly the latter. Their distinguishing feature is cnidocytes, specialized cells that the ...

, anemones (and other

Anthozoa Anthozoa is a subphylum of marine invertebrates which includes the sea anemones, stony corals and soft corals. Adult anthozoans are almost all attached to the seabed, while their larvae can disperse as part of the plankton. The basic unit of ...

) entirely lack the free-swimming

medusa In Greek mythology, Medusa (; Ancient Greek: Μέδουσα "guardian, protectress"), also called Gorgo, was one of the three monstrous Gorgons, generally described as winged human females with living venomous snakes in place of hair. Those ...

stage of the life cycle; the polyp produces eggs and sperm, and the fertilized egg develops into a planula that develops directly into another polyp.

Relationship with other animals

Several species of small animals regularly live in a

commensal Commensalism is a long-term biological interaction (symbiosis) in which members of one species gain benefits while those of the other species neither benefit nor are harmed. This is in contrast with mutualism, in which both organisms benefit fro ...

relationship with the snakelocks anemone, gaining protection from predators by residing among the venomous tentacles. These include the incognito (or anemone) goby (''Gobius incognitus''), the shrimp '' Periclimenes aegylios'' and the Leach's spider crab (''Inachus phalangium'').

Human uses

This species is widely consumed in southwestern

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...

, in the

Gulf of Cádiz The Gulf of Cádiz ( es, Golfo de Cádiz, pt, Golfo de Cádis) is the arm of the Atlantic Ocean between Cabo de Santa Maria, the southernmost point of mainland Portugal and Cape Trafalgar at the western end of the Strait of Gibraltar. Two m ...

region, as ''ortiguillas de mar'' (literally, "little sea nettles", because it has urticant properties before it is cooked), or simply ''ortiguillas''. The whole animal is marinated in

vinegar Vinegar is an aqueous solution of acetic acid and trace compounds that may include flavorings. Vinegar typically contains 5–8% acetic acid by volume. Usually, the acetic acid is produced by a double fermentation, converting simple sugars to eth ...

, coated in a tempura-like batter, and deep-fried in

olive oil Olive oil is a liquid fat obtained from olives (the fruit of ''Olea europaea''; family Oleaceae), a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin, produced by pressing whole olives and extracting the oil. It is commonly used in cooking: ...

.Receta: Ortiguillas de Mar
/ref> ''Ortiguillas'' are offered in some coastal

Andalusia Andalusia (, ; es, Andalucía ) is the southernmost autonomous community in Peninsular Spain. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomous community in the country. It is officially recognised as a "historical nationality". The ...

n restaurants as a

delicacy A delicacy is usually a rare and expensive food item that is considered highly desirable, sophisticated, or peculiarly distinctive within a given culture. Irrespective of local preferences, such a label is typically pervasive throughout a r ...

. They are similar in appearance and texture to

croquette A croquette is a deep-fried roll consisting of a thick binder combined with a filling, which is breaded and deep-fried; it is served as a side dish, a snack, or fast food worldwide. The binder is typically a thick béchamel or brown sau ...

s, but have a strong seafood taste. This anemone is also consumed in

Sardinia Sardinia ( ; it, Sardegna, label=Italian, Corsican and Tabarchino ; sc, Sardigna , sdc, Sardhigna; french: Sardaigne; sdn, Saldigna; ca, Sardenya, label= Algherese and Catalan) is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, aft ...

, where it is deep fried in olive oil and known as orziadas. It is becoming a popular

aquarium An aquarium (plural: ''aquariums'' or ''aquaria'') is a vivarium of any size having at least one transparent side in which aquatic plants or animals are kept and displayed. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, aq ...

pet, especially in Europe and readily adapts to aquaria.

Gallery

File:Anemonia viridis.jpg, Anemone viridis in aquarium of Genoa File:Snakelocks Anemone colony underwater.jpg, A colony in North Devon, UK File:Anemonia_sulcata_(Pennant,_1777)_1.jpg, Tentacles Image:Anemone de mer P1010222.JPG, In France File:AnemoneDeMer.JPG, In France File:Hortiguillas - Salero.jpg, A plate of ''ortiguillas'' in Cádiz

References

External links

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q1192992 Actiniidae Cnidarians of the Atlantic Ocean Fauna of the Mediterranean Sea Marine fauna of Europe Seafood Animals described in 1775 Taxa named by Peter Forsskål