Venus Flytrap Anemone

Venus Flytrap Anemone (unknown sp.)

The Venus Flytrap Anemone resembles the carnivorous plant found on land. It is a member of the family Actinoscyphiidae, but it is unknown as to how many species there are. This anemone was seen at Slope Base at a depth of 2900 m rooted in the sediment on the seafloor. Photo Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF; Dive 1757; V14

The Venus Flytrap Anemone resembles the carnivorous plant found on land. We know it is a member of the family Actinoscyphiidae, but the species is unknown. They can be found in every ocean basin, attached to a variety of hard substrates on the seafloor. These anemones wait for food to drift into their tentacles lined with stinging cells called nematocysts.

References:
Marine Life Field Guide (Neptune Canada)
http://www.deepseanews.com/2008/10/the-27-best-deep-sea-species-18-venus-fly-trap-anemone/
http://ocean.si.edu/ocean-photos/venus-fly-trap-anemone-gulf-mexico

 

A Flytrap Anemone clings to the Sea Cube biological experiment that was deployed on the sea floor in 2020. Credit: J. Willson, University of Washington, V21.
A Flytrap Anemone clings to the Sea Cube biological experiment that was deployed on the sea floor in 2020. Credit: J. Willson, University of Washington, V21.
A squat lobster and venus flytraps cover a tripod at 2900 m at the Slope Base site. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, V21.
A squat lobster and venus flytraps cover a tripod at 2900 m at the Slope Base site. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, V21.
venusflytrapanemone_sb-poster
The Venus Flytrap Anemone resembles the carnivorous plant found on land. It is a member of the family “Actinoscyphiidae”, but it is unknown as to how many species there are. This anemone was seen at Slope Base at a depth of 2900 m rooted in the sediment on the seafloor. Photo Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF; Dive 1757; V14
The Venus Flytrap Anemone resembles the carnivorous plant found on land. It is a member of the family “Actinoscyphiidae”, but it is unknown as to how many species there are. This anemone was seen at Slope Base at a depth of 2900 m rooted in the sediment on the seafloor. Photo Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF; Dive 1757; V14
A Venus Flytrap anemone and another deep-sea anemone sharing the same stalk next to wire RS01W6, near the Slope Base site. Photo Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF; Dive 1734; V14.
A Venus Flytrap anemone and another deep-sea anemone sharing the same stalk next to wire RS01W6, near the Slope Base site. Photo Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF; Dive 1734; V14.
An echinothuriid sea urchin encountered following the wire during a survey of the cable lay by ROPOS. A Venus Flytrap Anemone can be seen in the lower right quadrant. Photo Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF; Dive 1734; V14.
An echinothuriid sea urchin encountered following the wire during a survey of the cable lay by ROPOS. A Venus Flytrap Anemone can be seen in the lower right quadrant. Photo Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF; Dive 1734; V14.
A rattail fish (Grenadier) investigates two pressure sensors at 9500 ft water depth at the sedimented Slope Base site. The one in the background has been equilibrating since 2017 on the seafloor. Venus fly-trap like anenomies have colonized the cables that allow data to flow to shore in real-time, and a feeding sea star is on the dusty, 2014 sensor. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, V18.
A rattail fish (Grenadier) investigates two pressure sensors at 9500 ft water depth at the sedimented Slope Base site. The one in the background has been equilibrating since 2017 on the seafloor. Venus fly-trap like anenomies have colonized the cables that allow data to flow to shore in real-time, and a feeding sea star is on the dusty, 2014 sensor. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, V18.