Does it hurt Sea Anemones when we poke them with our fingers?

Question

I was at the beach today and was thrilled to find hundreds of sea anemones of varying size covering the reefs. My little brother had to poke each and every one with his finger. The anemones don't seem harmed by the experience, but I can't help but think it just isn't right to poke at them like that. Does anyone know if this is actually harmful, or is it just rude?

Answer 1

They have no central nervous system so they don't sense pain like you and I do. The question "is it harmful" is really independent of "do they feel pain". Many animals can be harmed by touching them independent of whether it causes them pain. Touching a fish, for example, can remove a protective slime that covers their body and make them susceptible to infection. Certainly rough handling of an anemone can cause damage.

Answer 2

Anemones are invertebrates, as are 95% of the earth's creatures. Most invertebrates are insects. The name Cnidaria (with a silent "c") refers to the cnidae, or nematocysts, which all Cnidarians have. The phylum Cnidaria includes anemones, corals, jellyfish, and hydras. The 'cnidae' are the stinging cells which provide the animals a means of capturing prey and/or defending themselves with a painful sting. Another name for Cnidarians is Coelenterata (pronounced "se-len-ter-a'-ta') which refers to the single body cavity that serves as stomach, lung, intestine, and everything else! There is only one opening into this cavity, the mouth, through which everything passes in and out. The mouth is surrounded by several or many tentacles which contain the nematocysts (cnidae) at their tips. Sea anemones, being members of the Class Anthozoa, along with hard and soft corals, are benthic, which means they are attached to rocks or the sea floor. Anemones in the aquarium though, will often move around until they find a place that they like and then stay put!

So basically they can harm you a bit more than you them-however-they are susceptible to human viruses that can kill or deform them preventing them from performing their natural functions in the wild.

Answer 3

I visited a Japanese aquarium with a Japanese friend. There was a touching pool that contained sea cucumbers. (they have soft, smooshy cucumber-shaped bodies. They also adhere themselves to surfaces.) I wanted to pick up and hold a sea cucumber, but it at attached itself to the side of the pool. I tried to gently get my hands under it and work it off the surface without hurting it.

My Japanese friend saw what I was trying to do and said, "Here, let me do it." Thinking that she would expertly slide her hand between its sticky underside and the wall, I let her remove it for me.

She just grabbed it firmly in her hands, and, with a sound like ripping velcro, yanked it right off.

I was horrified at the sudden violence she had imparted to the poor creature, but then she put it in my hands and my horror turned to fascination at the odd soft thing in my hands. It felt really nifty to hold.

The lesson is, when you do harmful-seeming stuff to animals like that, there really isn't any way to tell if they're hurt. Unless you come back a few days later and they're dead.

Answer 4

it hurts me when people poke me.

i think it's the same with sea anemones.

Answer 5

they must have been new Anemones or dead ones because if u touch them the feliece toxins onto ur skin that could paralise and drown you

Answer 6

They aren't that sensitive to touch, especially on the reefs. Imagine the pounding they take from the surf!! but it can be quite dangerous, I would not recommend it, you can get stung badly.