Stichodactyla gigantea
| Giant carpet anemone | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Stichodactlya gigantea with false percula clownfish, Amphiprion ocellaris | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Cnidaria |
| Class: | Anthozoa |
| Order: | Actiniaria |
| Family: | Stichodactylidae |
| Genus: | Stichodactyla |
| Species: | S. gigantea |
| Binomial name | |
| Stichodactyla gigantea (Forskål, 1775)[1] | |
Stichodactyla gigantea, commonly known as the giant carpet anemone[2] is a species of sea anemone that lives in the Indo-Pacific area, with a diameter usually no larger than 50 centimetres (1.6 ft) and a maximum of 80 centimetres (2.6 ft).[3] It can be kept in an aquarium but is a very challenging species to keep alive and healthy for more than 3–5 years.
Ecology
S. gigantea resides on shallow seagrass beds or sand flats around 8 centimetres (3.1 in) deep (at low tide). [4] Most anemones are treated as sessile, but the ones inhabited by anemonefish are in fact motile.[5]Zooxanthellae are obligate symbionts within the anemone. S. gigantea are associated as hosts to the common clownfish (A. ocellaris), Clark's anemonefish (A. clarkii), the pink skunk clownfish (A. perideraion), and occasionally with the domino damselfish (D. trimaculatus). [5]
Aquarium trade
S. gigantea is uncommon in the aquarium trade, due to the fact that it is very hard to keep alive, and that it is simply not available in the majority of locations.
References
- ↑ Fautin, D. (2010). "Stichodactlya gigantea (Forskål, 1775)". World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 2011-12-23.
- ↑ Fenner, Robert M. (1998). The Conscientious Marine Aquarist: A Commonsense Handbook for Successful Saltwater Hobbyists. Shelburne, VT: Microcosm Ltd.
- ↑ "Freshmarine.com: Carpet anemone". Retrieved 2 October 2013.
- ↑ Mitchell, Jeremy S. (2003). "Mobility of Stichodactlya gigantea sea anemones and implications for resident false clown anemonefish, Amphiprion ocellaris". Environmental Biology of Fishes 66: 85–90.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Fautin, Daphne G; Gerald R Allen (1992). Anemone Fishes and Their Host Sea Anemones (2 (1997) ed.). Western Australian Museum. p. 160.
External links
- "Stichodactyla gigantea". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2011-12-23.
- Hexacorallians of the World