Anemonia sulcata

{{Short description|Species of sea anemone}} {{Speciesbox | image = Anemonia viridis Lamiot Le Racou 2979.JPG | image_caption = In [[Argelès-sur-Mer]], France | taxon = Anemonia sulcata | authority = ([[Thomas Pennant|Pennant]], 1777) | synonyms = {{hidden begin|title = List}} * ''Actinia cereus'' Ellis & Solander, 1786 * ''Actinia phaeochira'' (Schmarda, 1852) * ''Actinia sulcata'' Pennant, 1777 * ''Actinia viridis'' * ''Actinocereus sulcata'' * ''Actinocereus sulcatus'' * ''Anemonia aedulis'' Risso, 1826 * ''Anemonia flagellifera'' Dons, 1945 * ''Anemonia vagans'' Risso, 1826 * ''Anenonia vagans'' * ''Anthea cereus'' Gærtner * ''Comactis viridis'' * ''Entacmaea phaeochira'' Schmarda, 1852 {{hidden end}} | synonyms_ref = <ref name=WoRMS/> }}

'''''Anemonia sulcata''''', or '''Mediterranean snakelocks sea anemone''', is a [[species]] of [[sea anemone]] in the [[Family (taxonomy)|family]] [[Actiniidae]] from the Mediterranean Sea.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uniprot.org/taxonomy/6108|title=Anemonia sulcata (Mediterranean snakelocks sea anemone)|website=www.uniprot.org|language=en|access-date=2018-04-05}}</ref> Whether ''A. sulcata'' should be recognized as a [[Synonym (taxonomy)|synonym]] of ''[[Anemonia viridis|A. viridis]]'' remains a matter of dispute.<ref name=WoRMS>{{cite WoRMS |author=Daly, M. |author2=Fautin, D. |year=2018 |title=''Anemonia sulcata'' (Pennant, 1777) |id=231858 |accessdate=4 January 2019}}</ref>

== Description == This sea anemone has two [[ecotype]]s; one has a basal disk up to {{convert|5|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} in diameter and has fewer than 192 tentacles (usually 142 to 148); the other has a disk up to {{convert|15|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} in diameter and 192 tentacles or more, up to 348. The tentacles are long, slender and tapering, arranged in six whorls round the central mouth on the oral disk. They vary in colour but are usually some shade of green, grey or light brown. A knob on the tip of each tentacle, where the stinging cells are concentrated, may be violet.<ref name=SeaLifeBase>{{cite web |url=https://www.sealifebase.ca/summary/Anemonia-sulcata.html |title=''Anemonia sulcata'' (Pennant, 1777) snakelocks anemone |publisher=SeaLifeBase |access-date=13 July 2019}}</ref>

== Distribution and habitat == This sea anemone is native to the [[Mediterranean Sea]] and the eastern [[Atlantic Ocean]] as far south as [[Western Sahara]]. It is found in the [[intertidal zone]] and the [[Neritic zone|sublittoral zone]], on rocky ledges, in crevices and on boulders.<ref name=Utrilla/> Ecotype 1 occurs down to about {{convert|5|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} while ecotype 2 occurs down to about {{convert|25|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}.<ref name=SeaLifeBase/>

== Biology == ''Anemonia sulcata'' has a [[Symbiosis|symbiotic]] relationship with [[zooxanthellae]], which inhabit the tissues and provide energy for the sea anemone. It is [[Dioecy|dioecious]], with individuals becoming sexually mature when they weigh about {{convert|20|g|oz|1|abbr=on}} and the basal disc measures about {{convert|22.5|mm|in|1|abbr=on}} across. There are no [[gonad]]s, and the [[germ cell]]s develop inside the [[Mesentery|mesenteries]] and break through the [[epithelium]] to enter the [[body cavity]] and thence move into the [[water column]]. At this stage, the [[oocyte]]s already contain symbiotic zooxanthellae. Fertilisation takes place in the sea. Breeding seems to take place throughout the year, but peaks between March and May. The sea anemones can also reproduce [[Asexual reproduction|asexually]].<ref name=Utrilla>{{cite conference |author=Utrilla, Olga |author2=Salas, C. |author3=Navas, F. |author4=Gofas, S. |year=2016 |title=The reproduction of ''Anemonia sulcata'' (Pennant, 1777) (Cnidaria: Anthozoa) in southern Spain |volume=3 |book-title= Frontiers of Marine Science. Conference Abstract: XIX Iberian Symposium on Marine Biology Studies |doi=10.3389/conf.FMARS.2016.05.00205 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

This sea anemone aggressively defends its territory from other individuals which are genetically dissimilar.<ref name=Williams/> It extends specialised tentacles (called [[aggregating anemone|acrorhagi]]), the tips of which have a concentration of [[cnidocyte]]s (stinging cells); these sting the invader, causing tissue [[necrosis]], and making the competitor move away.<ref name=Williams>{{cite book|author1=Williams, R.B.|author2=Cornelius, P.F.S.|author3=Hughes, R.G.|author4=Robson, E.A.|title=Coelenterate Biology: Recent Research on Cnidaria and Ctenophora: Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Coelenterate Biology, 1989|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=narsCAAAQBAJ&pg=PA540 |year=2012 |publisher=Springer Science & Business Media |isbn=978-94-011-3240-4 |page=540}}</ref>

== Uses == [[File:Ortiguillas de Mar098.jpg|thumb|Fried ''ortiguillas'']] This sea anemone is popular as a [[seafood]] in southern Spain, specially, [[Cádiz (province)|Cádiz]], where it is known as {{Langx|es|ortiguillas|links=no|lit=little nettles|label=none}} or {{Langx|es|ortiga de mar|links=no|lit=sea nettle|label=none}}; for the fishery to be sustainable, the [[Andalusia]]n authorities have set a minimum weight below which the sea anemones cannot be harvested.<ref name=Utrilla/> To neutralize the poison, the anemones are marinated in water with vinegar. The usual recipe is to [[batter (cooking)|batter]] them in flour and maybe egg and fry them in olive oil until they develop a crunchy cover. ''Ortiguilla'' omelets are also cooked.<ref name="Arzak">{{cite web |last1=Arzak |first1=Juan Mari |title=Ortiguillas |url=https://www.hogarmania.com/cocina/programas-television/karlos-arguinano-en-tu-cocina/los-secretos-de-arzak/ortiguillas-5966.html |website=Los secretos de Arzak |date=20 April 2011 |publisher=Hogarmania |access-date=8 September 2020 |language=es|author-link=Juan Mari Arzak}}</ref>

== Toxicity == ''Anemonia sulcata'' have toxic cnidocysts organelles that are able to inject venom and cause an allergic reaction, particularly a skin reaction. Their stings are known to cause [[neurotoxicity]] and act on the sodium and potassium channels but also cause cytolysis on the cell membranes.<ref>Tezcan, O. D., and O. Gozer. 2015. Severe Toxic Skin Reaction Caused by a Common Anemone and Identification of the Culprit Organism. Journal of Travel Medicine 22:269–271.</ref>

A research conducted in rabbits' ventricular myocytes were analyzed under exposure to these toxins to better understand their role. Specifically, toxin ll ([[ATX-II]]) derived from ''Anemonia sulcata'' was used in rabbit's myocytes to determine whether they induced the late sodium current causing overloading of sodium ions and consequently calcium ions inside the cell via reverse Na+/Ca2+ exchanger current. Since the heart depends heavily on the balance of Na+ and Ca2+ homeostasis, any imbalance from this can result in heart arrhythmias. These toxins induce augmentations in diastolic Ca2+ concentration, calcium transient amplitude, and myocyte shortening therefore increasing serious cardiac failure and cell apoptosis.<ref>Cao, Z., Z. Liu, P. Zhang, L. Hu, J. Hao, P. Zhang, Y. Tian, Z. Song, Q. Zhou, and J.-hua Ma. 2018. Sodium Houttuyfonate Inhibits Voltage-Gated Peak Sodium Current and Anemonia Sulcata Toxin II-Increased Late Sodium Current in Rabbit Ventricular Myocytes. Pharmacology 102:253–261.</ref>

The toxin [[AsKC11]] is found in the venom of ''Anemonia sulcata''. This toxin has been shown to be an activator of G protein-coupled inwardly-rectifying potassium (GIRK) channels 1/2, involved in the regulation of cellular excitability.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=An |first1=Dongchen |last2=Pinheiro-Junior |first2=Ernesto Lopes |last3=Béress |first3=László |last4=Gladkikh |first4=Irina |last5=Leychenko |first5=Elena |last6=Undheim |first6=Eivind A. B. |last7=Peigneur |first7=Steve |last8=Tytgat |first8=Jan |date=2022-02-15 |title=AsKC11, a Kunitz Peptide from Anemonia sulcata, Is a Novel Activator of G Protein-Coupled Inward-Rectifier Potassium Channels |journal=Marine Drugs |volume=20 |issue=2 |pages=140 |doi=10.3390/md20020140 |issn=1660-3397|doi-access=free |pmid=35200669 |pmc=8876855 |hdl=10852/99889 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> Toxin III, known as [[Av3]], is studied as a potential component of selective anti-insect compounds, as it is active in crustaceans and inactive in mammals, binding to [[Receptor Site|receptor site]]-3.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Moran |first=Yehu |last2=Kahn |first2=Roy |last3=Cohen |first3=Lior |last4=Gur |first4=Maya |last5=Karbat |first5=Izhar |last6=Gordon |first6=Dalia |last7=Gurevitz |first7=Michael |date=2007-08-15 |title=Molecular analysis of the sea anemone toxin Av3 reveals selectivity to insects and demonstrates the heterogeneity of receptor site-3 on voltage-gated Na+ channels |url=https://portlandpress.com/biochemj/article/406/1/41/42218/Molecular-analysis-of-the-sea-anemone-toxin-Av3 |journal=Biochemical Journal |language=en |volume=406 |issue=1 |pages=41–48 |doi=10.1042/BJ20070233 |issn=0264-6021 |pmc=1948988 |pmid=17492942}}</ref>

== References == {{Commons category}} {{Wikispecies}} {{Reflist}}

[[Category:Actiniidae]] [[Category:Cnidarians of the Atlantic Ocean]] [[Category:Fauna of the Mediterranean Sea]] [[Category:Taxa named by Thomas Pennant]] [[Category:Animals described in 1777]]