Tempuractis rinkai是一种野生的新属和海葵物种,与特定的海绵具有非常特殊的关系。这种微小的,简单的海葵似乎与海绵有着强大的共生关系,生活在其中,并在内部撤退以庇护。
There aremanydifferent types of symbiotic relationships in the natural world, and it is especially prevalent in the ocean where so many different kinds of creatures can interact. However, the description ofTempuractis rinkairepresents what is believed to be the first obligatory association between an anemone and a sponge.
These little sponge anemones were discovered in shallow intertidal habitats in coastal Japan. The light orange colored sponge greatly resembles the tempura batter used to deep fry shrimp and vegetables in Japanese cuisine giving rise to one of the best genus names of all time,Tempuractis.
The reason for the symbiosis seems to be pretty straightforward, with the anemone gaining a place to shelter its unprotected body, while the stinging tentacles of the anemone dissuade sponge-eating nudibranch from grazing on its tempura style home. [BioOne]