1. Adamsia is a marine commensal found attached to the empty shells of gastropods occupied by hermit-crab, Eupagurus. It has the usual anemone-like structure.
2. It is found in the U.S.A. (North Carolina to Florida) in shallow water.
3. Body consists of an expanded oral disc, column and pedal disc or base. By pedal disk anemone is attached on the outer surface of the empty mollusc shell.
4. Oral disc has a central mouth encircled by about 500 or more nematocyst bearing tentacles.
5. Column is cylindrical.
6. Siphonoglyphs and six pairs of mesenteries are present internally.
7. Oral disc has central mouth which is encircled by nematocyst-bearing tentacles numbering 500 or more.
8. These individuals benefit each other.
9. Adamsia (Anemone) is carried to different places by hermit crab living inside mollusc shell and it gets variety of food.
10. Hermit-crab is protected from its enemies by retreating into shell, exposing sea anemone, which is protected by poisonous stinging capsules and Aconita.
11. Adamsia and Hermit-crab show commensalism. In this there is no morphological, physiological and organic relationship between the two associates and there is no metabolic dependency between two.
Source:
1. Practical Zoology Invertebrates by S.S.Lal. 2. A Manual of Practical Zoology Chordates by Dr. P.S. Verma.
