Japanese researchers discover new species of sea anemone

​​​​​​​By Berk Kutay Gokmen

ISTANBUL (AA) – A team of researchers from Kumamoto University has identified a new species of sea anemone found in the deep seabed off Japan's coast, according to a study published Wednesday in the British Royal Society's Open Science journal.

The sea anemone attaches to the shell of a specific species of hermit crab.

Researchers noted that the two species have a mutualistic relationship: the sea anemone's secretions help reinforce the shell, supporting the hermit crab's growth, while the anemone feeds on the crab's waste.

The new species has been named Paracalliactis tsukisome, inspired by "tsukisome," a pale pink color referenced in a poem from the Manyoshu, Japan's oldest anthology of waka poetry.