Tiger Anemone

Besides possessing tiger-like stripes, the tiger anemone also earned its common name from its ferocious ability to swallow things much larger than itself! This curious anemone can sometimes be seen with its “throat” turned inside out and its tentacles tucked underneath, making the tiger anemone look like a weird blob lying on the intertidal zone. The scientists who described this species suspect that this odd behaviour may help the tiger anemone to capture and swallow prey much larger than itself, almost like a snake extending its jaws wide open to swallow its prey whole!

Although the tiger anemone had already been discovered many years ago, it was not given a proper scientific name until 2023, when it was officially identified and formally described as a species new to science. What’s even more incredible is that the tiger anemone may be endemic to the northern shores of Singapore, as so far, this species has only been recorded here and nowhere else in the world! Isn’t it amazing that Singapore may have a species of sea anemone to call its very own?