INTERSPECIFIC AND INTRASPECIFIC ACRORHAGIAL AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR AMONG SEA ANEMONES: A RECOGNITION OF SELF AND NOT-SELF

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Abstract
The acrorhagial responses of 4 sea anemones, Bunodosoma cavernata, Anemonia sargassensis, Anthopleura xanthogrammica and A. krebsi, are described. All 4 acrorhagial responses are considered to be aggression. Prior experience can influence the acrorhagial response. In testing various interspecific combinations, the only nonanthozoan to elicit an acrorhagial response was the scyphozoan Cassiopea xamachana, where polyps but not medusae elicit the full response. Intraspecific interactions of A. krebsi were examined. Clone mates and group mates were not responsive to one another. Some non-group mates did not respond to each other and in some other group combinations the interactive outcome was variable. An intergroup linear hierarchy of aggression was not found. The acrorhagial response may involve multiple alleles and perhaps involvement of different loci coding for cell-surface recognition molecules. The acrorhagial response, with its exquisite specificity and cytotoxic effects, is an example of self/not-self recognition but is not considered immunological.