All articles tagged with #sea anemones
Scientists discovered that sea anemones possess an ancient body blueprint involving BMP shuttling, a mechanism previously thought to be unique to bilaterians, suggesting this feature evolved over 600 million years ago and could reshape our understanding of animal evolution.
Research on the development of sea anemones suggests that a predatory lifestyle played a significant role in their evolution and the origin of their nervous system. The study found that the larvae of the sea anemone Aiptasia actively feed on living prey using specialized stinging cells and a simple neuronal network. This challenges the idea that the first animals were filter feeders like sponges. The research also sheds light on the importance of nutrition in closing the life cycle of sea anemones and provides a breakthrough for studying endosymbiosis in corals. The findings suggest that the predatory lifestyle of early multicellular organisms may have driven the evolution of complex nervous systems.
The pom pom crab, also known as the Hawaiian boxer crab, uses sea anemones as weapons and shields during fights and for defense against predators. Despite their small size, these crabs carry tiny sea anemones in each claw, waving them around to intimidate opponents. However, the purpose of wielding the anemones remains unclear, with hypotheses ranging from their toxicity to their value as food collectors. Scientists are still studying the relationship between the boxer crabs and the sea anemones to understand the benefits for both species.