''Alicia mirabilis'', commonly known as the berried anemone, is a species of

sea anemone Sea anemones are a group of predation, predatory marine invertebrates of the order (biology), order Actiniaria. Because of their colourful appearance, they are named after the ''Anemone'', a terrestrial flowering plant. Sea anemones are classifi ...

in the family '' Aliciidae.'' It changes shape as night falls expanding its column and tentacles to catch its food. It can be found in the

Azores ) , motto =( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace") , anthem= ( en, "Anthem of the Azores") , image_map=Locator_map_of_Azores_in_EU.svg , map_alt=Location of the Azores within the European Union , map_caption=Location of the Azores wi ...

, Portugal, Spain and the

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the e ...

and

Red Sea The Red Sea ( ar, البحر الأحمر - بحر القلزم, translit=Modern: al-Baḥr al-ʾAḥmar, Medieval: Baḥr al-Qulzum; or ; Coptic: ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϩⲁϩ ''Phiom Enhah'' or ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϣⲁⲣⲓ ''Phiom ǹšari''; T ...

Description

By day, ''Alicia mirabilis'' resembles a pile of berries, thus the common name berried anemone. By night, it expands its column to up to 40 cm tall and opens its tentacles. When fully extended, the tentacles may actually be longer than the column height. Both the tentacles and the "berries" contain stinging cells. File:Alicia mirabilis (giorno).JPG, File:Messina Straits Alicia mirabilis.jpg,

References

External links

Alicia mirabilis on www.itis.gov
* Aliciidae Animals described in 1861 Taxa named by James Yate Johnson Cnidarians of the Atlantic Ocean Fauna of the Mediterranean Sea {{Actiniaria-stub