Home > Invertebrates > Sea Anemones & Zoanthids

Phylum Cnidaria, Class Anthozoa, Subclass Hexacorallia

Sea Anemones & Zoanthids

Sea anemones are common in a variety of habitats.  Most have an adhesive base that may be detached from the substrate for relocation while Cerianthids inhabit tubes in soft sediment.  A ring of tentacles surrounding the mouth capture prey with stinging and/or sticky cnidocysts.  Some species attach bits of sand & shell within or without the body for protection.  Intertidal species are capable of retaining sufficient water to endure exposure to air & sun during low tide.  Green or brown-tinted anemones may incorporate photosynthetic cells within the body for nutritional support.  Anemones are preyed upon by specialized sea slugs, snails, and fishes.

 

HAWAII

 Aiptasia pulchella

GLASS ANEMONE

 

 Boloceroides mumurrichi

SWIMMING ANEMONE

 
Cladactella manni  

MANN'S ANEMONE

 

 Anemonia mutabilis 

CHANGEABLE ANEMONE

 
Anthopleura nigrescens

DUSKY ANEMONE

 

 Heteractis malu

SAND ANEMONE

 
Calliactis polypus

HERMIT CRAB ANEMONE

 

 Telmatactis decora

PLEASING ANEMONE

 
Triactis producta

PROLIFIC ANEMONE

 

 Isarachnanthus bandanensis

GHOST TUBE ANEMONE

 
Arachnanthus sp.

NIGHT TUBE ANEMONE

 

 Palythoa caesia

RUBBERY or PILLOW ZOANTHIDS
Protopalythoa heliodiscus

SUNRAY ZOANTHID

 

 Protopalythoa sp.

GREEN ZOANTHID

 
Zoanthus sp.

MAT ZOANTHID

 

 Isaurus tuberculatus

SNAKE POLYP or LUMPY ZOANTHID

 

INDO-PACIFIC

Entacmea quadricolor

BULB-TENTACLE ANEMONE

 

 Heteractis magnifica

MAGNIFICENT ANEMONE

 
Stichodactyla haddoni

MERTEN'S ANEMONE

 

 Actinodendron plumosum

HELL'S FIRE ANEMONE
Discosoma spp.

DISCOSOMA

 

NORTHEAST PACIFIC

Anthopleura elegantissima

AGGREGATING ANEMONE

 

Anthopleura sola

SOLITARY GREEN or SUNBURST ANEMONE
Tealia coriacea

STUBBY ROSE or BURIED ANEMONE

 

 Stomphia coccinea

SWIMMING ANEMONE

 
Urticina piscivora

FISH-EATING ANEMONE

 

 Metridium farcimen

WHITE-PLUMED ANEMONE
Cribrinopsis fernaldi

CRIMSON ANEMONE

 

 Metridium senile

PLUMOSE ANEMONE

 
Corynactis californica

STRAWBERRY ANEMONE

 Parazoanthus lucificum

LUMINESCENT or YELLOW ZOANTHID

 
Epizoanthus giveni

ORANGE ZOANTHID

 

 Epizoanthus scotinus

ZOANTHID

 
Sand Anemones

SAND ANEMONES

 

 Pachycerianthus fimbriatus

TUBE-DWELLING ANEMONE

 

JAPAN

Cerianthus filiformis

JAPANESE TUBE ANEMONE

WESTERN ATLANTIC

Bunodeopsis globulifera

STINGING MANGROVE ANEMONE

 

 Aiptasia pallida

PALE ANEMONE

 
Condylactis gigantea

GIANT CARIBBEAN ANEMONE

 

 Bartholomea annulata

CORKSCREW ANEMONE

 
Palythoa caribaeorum

WHITE ENCRUSTING ZOANTHID