Sea anemones excel at fighting

Scientists studying the behavioural traits of the common sea anemone have discovered that 'fortune favours the brave' when it comes to fighting and setting territorial disputes. Proving the old adage about the 'size of the fight in the dog', marine biologists at Plymouth University have found that the personality of a sea anemone will play just as crucial a role as physical size and weapon strength when fighting. Furthermore, a sea anemone may undergo a behavioural change and exhibit signs of 'shyness' in the wake of a defeat. The findings, set to be published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B today (Wednesday 14 December), could help to broaden the understanding of the factors that influence territory disputes and dominance in biology. Mark Briffa, from the School of Marine Science and Engineering at Plymouth University, said: "People might not think of sea anemones as fighting creatures, but they regularly battle for the best locations on rocks. "What we have seen is that those anemones that are bold and quickly recover from being startled, tended to land more blows upon their opponent and therefore won more fights." Studying the anemones in laboratories, and at sites along the Devon and Cornwall coast, researchers used a small jet of sea water to trigger the startle response in the organisms, causing them to retract their tentacles. They then measured the time it took for the anemone to return to its normal state.