Frilled anemone

Metridium senile

The frilled anemone resembles a beautiful flower but is really an animal. Anemones are common on the hard bottom types around Iceland and the frilled anemone is one of the most common. The frilled anemone has very fine and delicate arms and it lives mainly on small zooplankton. Its relative, the dahlia anemone, has thicker and more robust arms and lives on a larger prey. The frilled anemone is usually white in colour but can also be reddish yellow or grey.

Frilled anemones are gregarious. They are usually found in groups, and can cover large areas. Usually, they are found in shallow seas where ocean currents are at strong and carry a lot of food to them. Frilled anemones live throughout the North Atlantic and have also been found in South Africa.

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