Yes, the Sea Tulip is an animal.
A very odd looking, lumpy and bumpy, aquatic animal. Not a plant, as their name suggests. This makes it all the more horrifying when you see them being devoured by a starfish, but I digress. How did an animal end up evolving into such a form where their status in the animal kingdom seems ludicrous? We can begin to answer this by taking a closer look at their biology, as Sea Tulips are essentially Sea Squirts on a stick. As such, they spend most of their lifetimes tightly fastened to a rock, swaying alongside kelp in coastal waters. It lives on passing plankton, extracted from the water using it’s siphons which pump water in and out. This makes the ocean current the Sea Tulip’s personal buffet, allowing the tulip all the nutrients it needs without moving an inch. It’s a winning design that they have mastered, and although they can’t swim around or really do anything except breathe – they don’t really have to. They’re the poster child for the phrase “rinse and repeat”, and we could all learn from their (albeit unavoidable) laid back attitude.
Even though they don’t get around much, Sea Tulips have managed to snag an underwater allyship with sponges. Sponges contain special compounds to deter predators – very handy when you lack any ability to escape. These compounds are so appealing to Sea Tulips that they’ve graciously allowed said sponges to grow on them. To clarify, not just around them, but growing on the actual surface of the tulip itself. So when you see a Sea Tulip with some interesting colours, it’s not because they somehow managed to give themself a makeover, it’s because of their symbiotic sponge friend who’s chilling on top.
6/10 – Reading about these guys taught me a new word – sessile, which means “unable to move around”. Needless to say I’ve found a new way to describe myself before 9am.
Three Sea Tulips sporting a fresh pink-sponge look