Anthothoe chilensis

Anthothoe chilensis, or striped anemone, is a species of sea anemones in the family Sagartiidae.^[1][2]

Anthothoe chilensis
Striped anemone (Anthothoe chilensis)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Cnidaria
Subphylum:	Anthozoa
Class:	Hexacorallia
Order:	Actiniaria
Family:	Sagartiidae
Genus:	Anthothoe
Species:	A. chilensis
Binomial name
Anthothoe chilensis (Lesson, 1830)
Synonyms[1]
Actinia chilensis Lesson, 1830 (basionym) Actinia (Diplostephanus) chilensis Lesson, 1830 Actinothoe chilensis (Lesson, 1830) Antholoba chilensis Dysactis chilensis Nemactis chilensis Verrill Sagartia chilensis (Lesson, 1830) Thoe chilensis (Lesson, 1830)

Description

Anthothoe chilensis is a small anemone of around 2 cm in diameter. It is vertically striped in pink, green or browns, though it may also be pale in colour.^[3]

Distribution

This species is found off Chile, Brazil and Argentina in South America, around St. Helena and off the southern African coast from Luderitz to Richards Bay. It inhabits waters from the intertidal zone to 28m in depth.

Ecology

Anthothoe chilensis shoots sticky defensive threads (acontia) through pores in its body wall when threatened. It has symbiotic bacteria living within its body which supplement its food supply by photosynthesis. Preyed upon by the nudibranch Anteaeolidiella cacaotica (recorded as syn. Anteaeolidiella foulisi).^[3]