SCRATCHPAD
All about sea anemones
By LISSA BREWER
COAST WEEKEND EDITOR
Stare into the shallow seawater pools that
collect between boulders at low tide and a
bright, colorful fl ower may seem to sprout
from a rock, reaching toward the surface.
This delicate creature may be a sea
anemone, a soft-bodied animal known as a
cnidarian. This classifi cation of freshwater
and marine dwellers also includes jellyfi sh,
corals and sea fans.
The sea anemone may take its name
from a terrestrial fl ower, but is in fact a car-
nivorous sea creature. Living on the border
ON THE
COVER
between sessile and mobile, the sea anem-
one possesses an adhesive foot on its col-
umn, resembling the stem of a plant, that
helps it to attach to the sea fl oor. A circle
of fl owing, leafl ike tentacles extend from
the stem to provide a food source, the ten-
tacles containing stinging structures called
nematocysts that paralyze small fi sh and
crustaceans.
To the curious human hand, however,
these tentacles have only a slight grip and
won’t cause any harm. The sea anemone
can handle a light touch, even though it
doesn’t like to be stepped on. These ocean
dwellers are highly adapted to the tidal
zone, retracting their tentacles and fold-
ing themselves inward as the tide recedes.
To survive the dry conditions, their fl ower
Lissa Brewer
Green sea anemones submerged in a tide
pool near Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach.
spot to bask its “petals” in the sea.
Friday is Earth Day, making this week
a great time to experience and steward the
wondrous natural beauty around us on the
North Coast, including these curious marine
creatures.
STAFF AND CONTRIBUTORS
COAST WEEKEND EDITOR
LISSA BREWER
THURSDAY
APRIL 21
2022
Dundee winery
Zerba Cellars will
return as a vendor
for this year’s Crab,
Seafood & Wine
Festival.
like appearance transforms to reveal a soft,
green outer shell.
Despite their tolerance of low tides
and brackish waters, sea anemones thrive
at nearly all ocean depths, ranging from
the tidal zone to some trenches more than
30,000 feet below sea level. These creatures
can be found in virtually all of the world’s
oceans, with few predators and an adaptable
structure. If necessary, the sea anemone can
pick up its foot and move, fi nding the best
ENJOY CRAB,
SEAFOOD
AND WINE
FESTIVAL CELEBRATES 40 YEARS
PAGE 4
CALENDAR COORDINATOR
SARAH SMITH
SCULPTING,
FULL CIRCLE
PAGE 6
EARTH DAY
ACTIVITIES
PAGE 8
MULDAUR
PERFORMS
IN NEHALEM
PAGE 9
CONTRIBUTORS
RON BALDWIN
ZOE BUCHLI
DAVID CAMPICHE
KATHERINE LACAZE
NANCY McCARTHY
BARBARA LLOYD McMICHAEL
LAURI KRAMER SERAFIN
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© 2022 COAST WEEKEND
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