Pom-pom anemone
Liponema brevicornis
- On view
- Into the Deep
- Animal type
- Invertebrates
- Ecosystem
- Deep sea
- Relatives
- Other sea anemones; corals
- Diet
- Plankton and other drifting food
- Range
- Soft, muddy seafloor at depths of 330 – 3,300 feet (100 – 1,000 m)
- Size
- Up to 10 inches (25 cm) across
Meet the pom-pom anemone
A pom-pom anemone takes on a variety of shapes—from low and flat to round and puffy. In fact, scientists have seen puffed-up anemones rolling across the seafloor like living tumbleweeds, "blown" by deep-sea currents. Scientists aren't sure why pom-pom anemones change shape and roll around—they might be looking for "greener pastures," where there's more food to eat.
Conservation
Anything that finds its way into the ocean, whether it's tossed away as trash, washes off a beach or falls off a boat, may eventually make its way to the deep sea. It's important to realize that the deep sea is not so far away that it's beyond the reach of human activities. Living creatures in the deep are affected by what we do at the surface.
Cool facts
- A pom-pom anemone's stinging tentacles capture crustaceans and krill swimming by.
Want to see amazing deep-sea creatures up close?
Visit our exhibition, Into the Deep: Exploring Our Undiscovered Ocean (En lo Profundo: Explorando Nuestro Océano Desconocido).
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