BRITISH BEASTS

from sunlight as sugars, some of which leak to the anemones. If the water gets too warm, ginger tinies evict their coloured algae, in the same way that corals bleach under stress. New polyps grow from buds on the common base. This swells the existing colony, but to be able to spread to new areas some distance away, something more adventurous is needed. As with other anemones and corals, a tiny swimming larva performs this service. The larvae are produced sexually – in yellow and white trumpet anemones and sandy creeplets, the sexes are separate, with sperm and eggs developing in summer. When writing this piece, I could find little information on our British species, but in tropical colonial anemones spawning is

synchronised, as it is in hard corals, to maximise the chances of fertilisation – all blowing their trumpets together! ■ • Seasearch Guide to Sea Anemones and Corals of Britain and Ireland by Chris Wood, costs £9.95 and is published by the Marine Conservation Society. ISBN: 0948150416.

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BEAST AT A GLANCE

KNOWN HAUNTS Colonial anemones grow on rocks, wrecks, shells and other marine life.

BEST PLACE TO SEE The yellow cluster, ginger tiny and sandy creeplet anemones are found mainly around southern and western coasts of Britain. The white cluster anemone is largely a northern species, but grows further south in deep water.

LIKELY TO APPEAR Most obvious in summer, when their food is abundant.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES Small trumpet-shaped anemones, joined at the base, forming clusters or spreading colonies. White and yellow cluster anemones are very similar in shape, with tentacles not much longer than the width of the disc. Sandy creeplets are buff-coloured, but with tentacles longer than the body, and with a white tip. Ginger tinies are dark brown.

SIZE The white cluster anemone grows up to 25mm tall; the yellow cluster anemone to 15mm; the sandy creeplet to 12mm and ginger tinies are less than 10mm high. All the colonial anemones can form extensive colonies.

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