10-38 



Anemones 



This group of organisms is unique in that its members expose 

 a large amount of mucus-like tissue to seawater at the sediment-water 

 interface. Not only is it able to sequester particles rich in elements 

 but the mucopolysaccharide composition of this material acts as a 

 scavenger for trace elements from seawater as well. This may explain 

 the very high concentration of trace metals in these organisms. A 

 comparison of the trace-element composition of an anemone (species 

 unknown) from 2500 meters depth in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge with that of 

 Cerianthus americanus , (common in Long Island Sound) shows that they 

 are within a factor of 3 to 9 of each other in concentration for the 

 elements analyzed. This implies that trace metal sequestering is a 

 property of this organism wherever it is found (Table 10-7) and not con- 

 strained by the peculiar chemistry of the substrate. 



