White-Striped Anemone

This species grows to a maximum diameter of 30mm, varies in colour, but can usually be distinguished by its orange or green oral disc with distinct, short, white stripes on the column. It has many tentacles.

Anthothoe albocincta occurs in the waters of southeastern Australia, (Victoria, Tasmania, New South Wales) and New Zealand.

During high tide, this anemone is highly active, feeding on particles it captures. It is also able to defend itself by shooting stinging cells from openings located on the side of the column.

This anemone can reproduce both sexually and by cloning. In sexual reproduction, the gametes are liberated into the water column where fertilisation takes place. The fertilized egg develops into a planula larva which drifts with the plankton before settling and developing directly into another polyp. This allows for dispersal of the sea anemones over long distances.