Dr. Vasilis Gerovasileiou, Griechenland
Info
Very special thanks for the first photo of Paranemonia vouliagmeniensis to Dr. Dr. Vasilis Gerovasileiou, Greek.
Paranemonia vouliagmeniensis is a unique, endemic brackish water anemone that is now classified as "endangered" by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
The explanation for the classification is simple and easy to understand, this sea anemone is only found in one place in the world, the slightly salty Lake Vouliagmeni near Athens.
Humans, if it were to their benefit, would quickly drain, pollute, over-fertilise or poison the lake with any sprays, this would lead to the immediate extinction of this species of anemone.
Consequently, the protection of this species must always be clearly emphasised.
Paranemonia vouliagmeniensis lives on both hard (natural and artificial) and soft substrates (mixed sediments consisting mainly of sand, gravel and boulders, algae and meadows) and shows an aggregate distribution pattern
The life span of the actinie is estimated to be about five years, the anemone has an extended reproductive period lasting from winter to late spring.
Paranemonia vouliagmeniensis follows two distinct migrations during its life cycle: During the first, young individuals (juvenile actinia) migrate to deeper waters for better feeding, protection, and to avoid intra-specific competition, while during the second, the reverse pattern is observed, with larger, mature individuals leaving the algae on which they previously settled and migrating to the shallower part of Lake Vouliagmeni.
Colouration: The mouth disc and tentacles of the anemone are pale green or pale pink, the area around the mouth is orange to orange-brown, while the body column is orange and slightly brownish.
Tentacles: As the anemone has no zooxanthellae, it depends on catching zooplankton, which it captures with its 40 - 58 tentacles, transports to its mouth and digests.
Reproduction: The anemone is viviparous, so that a large number of actinia can quickly accumulate in a small area.
Studies of reproductive biology have shown that up to 625 anemones can accumulate one square metre
The anemone co-occurs with the common cockle (Cerastoderma edule (Linnaeus, 1758)) and the peppered mussel Abra ovata (Philippi, 1836).
Predators: No predators of the anemone have been observed in the lagoon.
A big request: Should you visit the lake on a holiday, please be sure to leave the anemones in place so that the existing biotope is not disturbed; moreover, the vital conditions for these animals cannot be represented in an aquarium.
Paranemonia vouliagmeniensis is a unique, endemic brackish water anemone that is now classified as "endangered" by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
The explanation for the classification is simple and easy to understand, this sea anemone is only found in one place in the world, the slightly salty Lake Vouliagmeni near Athens.
Humans, if it were to their benefit, would quickly drain, pollute, over-fertilise or poison the lake with any sprays, this would lead to the immediate extinction of this species of anemone.
Consequently, the protection of this species must always be clearly emphasised.
Paranemonia vouliagmeniensis lives on both hard (natural and artificial) and soft substrates (mixed sediments consisting mainly of sand, gravel and boulders, algae and meadows) and shows an aggregate distribution pattern
The life span of the actinie is estimated to be about five years, the anemone has an extended reproductive period lasting from winter to late spring.
Paranemonia vouliagmeniensis follows two distinct migrations during its life cycle: During the first, young individuals (juvenile actinia) migrate to deeper waters for better feeding, protection, and to avoid intra-specific competition, while during the second, the reverse pattern is observed, with larger, mature individuals leaving the algae on which they previously settled and migrating to the shallower part of Lake Vouliagmeni.
Colouration: The mouth disc and tentacles of the anemone are pale green or pale pink, the area around the mouth is orange to orange-brown, while the body column is orange and slightly brownish.
Tentacles: As the anemone has no zooxanthellae, it depends on catching zooplankton, which it captures with its 40 - 58 tentacles, transports to its mouth and digests.
Reproduction: The anemone is viviparous, so that a large number of actinia can quickly accumulate in a small area.
Studies of reproductive biology have shown that up to 625 anemones can accumulate one square metre
The anemone co-occurs with the common cockle (Cerastoderma edule (Linnaeus, 1758)) and the peppered mussel Abra ovata (Philippi, 1836).
Predators: No predators of the anemone have been observed in the lagoon.
A big request: Should you visit the lake on a holiday, please be sure to leave the anemones in place so that the existing biotope is not disturbed; moreover, the vital conditions for these animals cannot be represented in an aquarium.
