Fauna
Invertebrate · GBIF taxon 5184187

Beaded Sea Anemone

Heteractis aurora

Also known as Aurora Anemone, White-beaded Anemone

Beaded sea anemones anchor their column deep into sandy or muddy sediments, retracting rapidly beneath the substrate when threatened. Their distinctive tentacles feature swollen, bead-like swellings along their length that maximize surface area for symbiotic zooxanthellae to capture sunlight. In tropical Indo-Pacific reefs, they serve as crucial nursery hosts for several species of clownfish and juvenile damselfish.

Reef DwellerSymbioticMarine Invertebrate
Beaded Sea Anemone reference1 / 4
Licensed reference(c) portioid, some rights reserved (CC BY) · 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 & prey
  • Zooplankton
  • Small Crustaceans
  • Organic Detritus
Predators
  • Butterflyfish
  • Hawksbill Sea Turtle
  • Nudibranchs
ThreatsCoral reef degradation, ocean warming, ocean acidification, and aquarium collection
HabitatsShallow coral reefs, lagoons, and sandy or silty seabeds
Life spanSeveral decades in stable wild conditions
Classification
  1. OrderActiniaria
  2. FamilyHeteractidae
  3. GenusHeteractis
  4. SpeciesHeteractis aurora
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskVery high
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is very high
Stings are generally trivial to human skin; observe underwater without touching.
Responsible observation
  • Maintain Buoyancy: Hover gently above the seabed to avoid kicking up sand or disturbing the column.
  • Look For Residents: Search among the beaded tentacles for juvenile anemonefish or symbiotic partner shrimps.
  • Do Not Touch: Touching causes the animal to contract entirely under the sand, exhausting its energy.
Related species
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