Home > Invertebrates > Sea Anemones & Zoanthids

Updated 10/4/2025

Phylum Cnidaria, Class Anthozoa, Subclass Hexacorallia

Sea Anemones, Corallimorphs & 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 - ENDEMIC

Cladactella manni  

MANN'S ANEMONE

 

 Anemonia mutabilis 

CHANGEABLE ANEMONE

 
Zoanthus kealakekuaensis  

KEALAKEKUA ZOANTHID 

 

  
   

INDO-PACIFIC / HAWAII

 Aiptasia pulchella

GLASS ANEMONE

 

 Boloceroides mcmurrichi

SWIMMING ANEMONE

 
Anthopleura nigrescens

DUSKY ANEMONE

 

 Radianthus malu

SAND ANEMONE

 
Calliactis polypus

HERMIT CRAB ANEMONE

 

 Telmatactis decora

PLEASING ANEMONE

 
Nemanthus sp.

TIGER ANEMONE

 

 Triactis producta 

PROLIFIC or GIRDLED ANEMONE

 
Arachnanthus sp.

NIGHT TUBE ANEMONE

 

 Isarachnanthus bandanensis

GHOST TUBE ANEMONE

 
Isaurus tuberculatus 

SNAKE POLYP or LUMPY ZOANTHID

 

 Palythoa tuberculosa 

RUBBERY or PILLOW ZOANTHIDS
Palythoa heliodiscus 

SUNRAY ZOANTHID

 

 Palythoa mutuki 

WHITESTRIPE ZOANTHID

 
Zoanthus sansibaricus 

ZANZIBAR ZOANTHID

 

 Zoanthus pacificus 

STRIPED ZOANTHID
Zoanthus kuroshio 

MAT ZOANTHID

 
Gyractis sesere

SESERE'S ANEMONE
Unidentified sp.1

BANDED SAND ANEMONE

 

 Unidentified sp.2

BROWN SAND ANEMONE
Corynactis sp.

ORANGE-BALL CORALLIMORPH

 

 Stylobates aeneus

SHELL-BEARING ANEMONE
Umimyanthus chanpuru

ORANGE SPONGE ZOANTHID

 

  
   

INDO-PACIFIC

Entacmaea quadricolor

 

BUBBLE-TIP ANEMONE

 

 Stichodactyla magnifica

MAGNIFICENT ANEMONE

 
Heteractis crispa &
H. paumotensis

LEATHERY ANEMONE

 

 Condylactis doreensis

LONG-TENTACLE ANEMONE
Heteractis aurora

AURORA ANEMONE, beaded

 

 Heteractis aurora

AURORA ANEMONE, smooth

 
Radianthus malu

SAND ANEMONE

 

 Radianthus malu

SAND ANEMONE

 

Stichodactyla mertensii

MERTENS' CARPET ANEMONE

 

 Stichodactyla haddoni

HADDON'S CARPET ANEMONE
Actinodendron alcyonoideum  

GLOBULAR HELLFIRE ANEMONE		 Megalactis hemprichii  

STINGING FERN ANEMONE

 
Discosoma nummiforme

 

SMOOTH MUSHROOM CORALLIMORPH

 

 Platyzoanthus mussoides

RIDGED CORALLIMORPH
Amplexidiscus fenestrafer

ELEPHANT-EAR ANEMONE

 

 Amplexidiscus fenestrafer

ELEPHANT-EAR ANEMONE

Rhodactis inchoata

STUBBY MUSHROOM CORALLIMORPH

 

 Rhodactis rhodostoma

HAIRY MUSHROOM CORALLIMORPH

 
Megacorynactis giganteus

GIANT BALL CORALLIMORPH

  Phyllodiscus semoni

MIMIC ANEMONE
Entacmaea medusivora

JELLY-EATING ANEMONE

 

 Terrazoanthus sp.

YELLOW ROCK ZOANTHID
   
   

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

 

 Urticina lofotensis

WHITE-SPOTTED ROSE ANEMONE

 
Metridium farcimen

WHITE-PLUMED ANEMONE

 

 Metridium senile

PLUMOSE ANEMONE

 
Cribrinopsis fernaldi

CRIMSON ANEMONE

 

 Corynactis californica

STRAWBERRY ANEMONE

 
Epizoanthus giveni

ORANGE ZOANTHID

 

 Savalia lucifica

LUMINESCENT or YELLOW ZOANTHID

 
Epizoanthus scotinus

ZOANTHID

 

 Pachycerianthus fimbriatus

TUBE-DWELLING ANEMONE

 
Sand Anemones

SAND ANEMONES

 

 

JAPAN

Cerianthus filiformis

JAPANESE TUBE ANEMONE

WESTERN ATLANTIC

Bunodeopsis globulifera

STINGING MANGROVE ANEMONE

 

 Exaiptasia diaphana

PALE ANEMONE

 
Condylactis gigantea

GIANT CARIBBEAN ANEMONE

 

 Bartholomea annulata

CORKSCREW ANEMONE

 
Palythoa caribaeorum   

WHITE ENCRUSTING ZOANTHID

 

 Zoanthus pulchellus 

MAT ZOANTHID
Stichodactyla helianthus

SUN ANEMONE

 

 Gyractis sesere

SESERE'S ANEMONE