Common clownfish, Raja Ampat Islands, Indonesia 14 Apr 2026

Sea anemones may look like underwater flowers, but they"re actually animals—close relatives of jellyfish and corals. Anchored to rocks or reefs, they use a sticky base and a crown of waving tentacles armed with tiny stingers to capture passing prey. Those stings can paralyse small fish, yet one famous neighbour is immune.

© Magnus Lundgren/Nature Picture Library

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