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A starburst anemone war is just beginning in this photo. Starburst anemone fight with their neighbors, using the tentacles with the rounded white ends called acrorhagi. As they fight the white areas of the acrorhagi become tattered. The white is a concentration of stinging cells and when touched by an enemy, it will slough off and continue stinging the enemy again and again.
Eventually, one anemone moves away from the tentacle-reach of its neighbor to stop the fight.Image credit: Genny Anderson, Santa Barbara City College
