Waratah Anemone in the Marine Life display at Melbourne Museum.
Image: Deanna Henderson
Source: Museum Victoria
A Waratah Anemone in the Marine Life: Exploring our Seas display aquarium has produced five miniature clones of itself, via asexual reproduction.
Anemones can either produce sexually (where reproduction occurs externally in a mass spawning event), or asexually (where the anemone produces clones of itself).
In the case of the Waratah Anemone, asexual reproduction involves producing small clones of itself within the cavity of its body, then releasing them via its mouth. This process is also called 'budding'.
The new anemones will be taken out of the exhibition tank and raised in a ‘back of house’ aquarium until they are big enough to go on museum display.