Fauna
Invertebrate

Plumose Anemone

Metridium senile

Also known as Fluffy Anemone, Frilled Anemone, White-Plumed Anemone

Plumose anemones are striking marine invertebrates recognizable by their highly divided, fluffy-looking tentacles that form a crown atop a smooth, column-like body. They thrive in fast-moving currents, using their specialized tentacles to filter tiny zooplankton from the water column. These adaptable creatures can reproduce asexually by leaving behind fragments of their base, which quickly grow into identical clones.

MarineInvertebrateFilter-Feeder
Plumose Anemone reference
"CIMG2544 Plumose Anemone, Scylla" by Tim Sheerman-Chase is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/. · cc-by
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyCopepods, Invertebrate larvae, Microscopic plankton
Predators
  • Shag-rug nudibranchs
  • Leather stars
  • Pycnopodia sea stars
ThreatsCoastal development, water pollution, and warming ocean temperatures
HabitatsRocky reefs, pilings, docks, and shipwrecks in cold temperate waters
Life spanUp to 100 years
Classification
  1. FamilyMetridiidae
  2. SpeciesMetridium senile
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Observe from docks: Look down along floating docks and pilings at low tide to spot them hanging upside down.
  • Avoid touching: Their delicate tentacles can easily be damaged by physical contact.
  • Watch for clones: Look for dense clusters of identical color phases, which indicate a clonal colony.
Related species
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