Monday, May 11, 2009

WIP Reef - Red Lionfish and Sea Anemones

sea anemones drawingI've been working on the area behind the white and red soft coral. Under one of the brain corals I have added four or five anemones, two pink and a mass of green and purple. Anemones are known for their slight sting for catching food and for the small fish (like clownfish) that live inside them. Anemones attach to their support by a "foot," and the tentacles are at the top like a flowery hat. They range greatly in color and size. Unlike coral, an anemone is a single animal, complete with primitive muscles, nerves and digestive system. They reproduce both sexually and asexually.

red lionfish colored pencil drawingThe red lionfish, Pterois volitans, is an extremely poisonous fish native to the Indian and western Pacific Oceans. They are characterized by their reddish stripes and their fan-like fins. Averaging about 15 inches long, they prefer the cover of the reef to more open water, cornering their prey among the coral. They eat small fish.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_anemone
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lionfish
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_lionfish

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