Ghost Anemone

Diadumene leucolena

The ghost anemone has a jelly-like, transparent body with a whitish or pinkish tint. The body has:

• A flat, rounded base and an elongated stalk.
• A circle of 40 to 60 petal-like tentacles growing from the top of the stalk.
• A tiny mouth in the center of the circle of tentacles.

Ghost anemones grow to about 1.5 inches tall and one-half of an inch wide.

Where does the ghost anemone live?

Ghost anemones can be found on rocks, pilings and other hard surfaces in shallow waters throughout the Bay. They move by manipulating the flat base of their body, much like an inchworm.

What does the ghost anemone eat?

Ghost anemones feed on plankton and tiny fish, which they capture and push toward their mouth with their stinging tentacles.

How does the ghost anemone reproduce?

Ghost anemones can reproduce both sexually and asexually.

• Asexual reproduction takes place when a new, identical animal sprouts from the base of the ghost anemone's body.
• To reproduce sexually, ghost anemones release eggs and sperm into the water, which are fertilized and produce free-swimming larvae.

Other facts about the ghost anemone:

• The ghost anemone is a relative of the sea nettle. Just like the notorious jellyfish, ghost anemones' tentacles have stinging cells, used to stun their prey.
• Even though they are always attached to some surface, ghost anemones can move relatively fast — several inches in just a few hours.