About Pseudactinia flagellifera (Drayton, 1846)
Pseudactinia flagellifera, commonly called the false plum anemone, is a large sea anemone that can grow up to 20 centimeters in diameter. It has a smooth column that can be orange, yellow, or red, and the tips of its tentacles are often mauve. It features a protruding round mouth, and its oral surface may have stripes. Outside its tentacles, it has rows of small, round protrusions called spherules. This anemone is found along the southern African coast from Luderitz to Durban, and also occurs around Madeira. It inhabits waters from the intertidal zone down to 35 meters in depth. The false plum anemone cannot easily retract its tentacles. It preys mainly on molluscs, and is reported to deliver a serious sting that can affect humans. It can move slowly around, and defends its territory by stinging genetically unrelated anemones using its spherules.
