| Epiactis thompsoni | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Cnidaria |
| Class: | Hexacorallia |
| Order: | Actiniaria |
| Family: | Actiniidae |
| Genus: | Epiactis |
| Species: | E. thompsoni |
| Binomial name | |
| Epiactis thompsoni Coughtrey, 1875 [1] | |
Epiactis thompsoni, the red-striped anemone, is a species of marine invertebrate in the family Actiniidae, found in New Zealand and South Australia. They are commonly found in the rocky intertidal zone.
The red-striped anemone is relatively large, up to 75 mm. The pedal disc protrudes at the base, diameter of the disc is up to 45 mm. Red and white stripes run vertically up the body, the white sometimes turning a strong yellow or even lime green near the elevated mouth. 60 or so tentacles are arranged in 3 whorls, are usually white with a mauve tip and can be up to 25 mm long. [2] Habits rock pools around the low tide mark, adhering to stones and boulders. Broods its young. [3]
Epiactis thompsoni exhibit internal brooding which is when the offspring remain within the gastrovascular cavity. Internal brooding is beneficial in the harsh intertidal zone and is a means of reducing dispersal. Some offspring in the broods of Epiactis thompsoni are born with multiple oral disks and tentacular crowns. This is thought to be due to the process of fusion of two or more embryos. They are known as being the primary species that brood offspring. Epiactis thompsoni also exhibit continuous reproduction in that they can breed throughout the year. They are also gonochoric meaning that the sexes are separate. [4]
There has been confusion with the species name in the literature. In Australian literature, the 'p' from thompsoni has been dropped. The 'p' was originally dropped in Carlgren (1949), so it may be a spelling error that has been since present throughout subsequent literature. The correct spelling is with the 'p', as the species was named after a harbour master in Otago, Captain Thompson. [5]
A tide pool or rock pool is a shallow pool of seawater that forms on the rocky intertidal shore. These pools typically range from a few inches to a few feet deep and a few feet across. Many of these pools exist as separate bodies of water only at low tide, as seawater gets trapped when the tide recedes. Tides are caused by the gravitational pull of the sun and moon. A tidal cycle is usually about 25 hours and consists of one or two high tides and two low tides.
Cribrinopsis fernaldi, also known as the crimson anemone, snakelock anemone, chevron-tentacle anemone and Fernald brooding anemone, is a sea anemone native to the Pacific Ocean off northwestern North America.
Urticina crassicornis, commonly known as the mottled anemone, the painted anemone or the Christmas anemone, is a large and common intertidal and subtidal sea anemone. Its habitat includes a large portion of the coastal areas of the northern hemisphere, mainly polar regions, and it lives a solitary life for up to 80 years. Mottled anemones are similar to Dahlia anemones and both are commonly referred to as northern red anemones.
Sea anemones are a group of predatory marine invertebrates of the order Actiniaria. Because of their colourful appearance, they are named after the Anemone, a terrestrial flowering plant. Sea anemones are classified in the phylum Cnidaria, class Anthozoa, subclass Hexacorallia. As cnidarians, sea anemones are related to corals, jellyfish, tube-dwelling anemones, and Hydra. Unlike jellyfish, sea anemones do not have a medusa stage in their life cycle.
Condylactis gigantea is a tropical species of ball anemone that is found in shallow reefs and other shallow inshore areas in the Caribbean Sea – more specifically the West Indies – and the western Atlantic Ocean including southern Florida through the Florida Keys. It is also commonly known as: giant Caribbean sea anemone, giant golden anemone, condylactis anemone, Haitian anemone, pink-tipped anemone, purple-tipped anemone, and Florida condy. This species can easily be seen growing in lagoons or in inner reefs as either individuals or loose groups, but never as colonies. They are often used as a model organism along with others in their genus for facultative symbiosis with monocellular algae.
Actinia tenebrosa, commonly known as the waratah anemone, is the most common species of sea anemone found in the waters of eastern Australia and New Zealand. It is found relatively high on the seashore, in rock pools, and various cracks and shaded surfaces such as under rock overhangs in the intertidal zone.
Epiactis prolifera, the brooding, proliferating or small green anemone, is a species of marine invertebrate in the family Actiniidae. It is found in the north-eastern Pacific. It has a feature rare among animals in that all individuals start life as females but develop testes later in their lives to become hermaphrodites.
Epiactis is a genus of sea anemones in the family Actiniidae. There are about nineteen recognised species and the type species is Epiactis prolifera.
The ring-tentacle anemone is a species of sea anemone in the family Isanthidae.
Metridium senile, or frilled anemone, is a species of sea anemone in the family Metridiidae. As a member of the genus Metridium, it is a type of plumose anemone and is found in the seas off north-western Europe and both the east and west coasts of North America.
Actinia bermudensis, the red, maroon or stinging anemone, is a species of sea anemone in the family Actiniidae.
Anthothoe albocincta, or white-striped anemone, is a species of sea anemone in the family Sagartiidae. It is native to the coasts of Australia and New Zealand.
Oulactis muscosa, also known as the sand anemone and speckled anemone, is a species of sea anemone in the family Actiniidae.
Phlyctenanthus australis, commonly known as red anemone and southern anemone, is a species of sea anemone in the family Actiniidae. It grows to a maximum size of 10 cm in diameter. The column is red-brown in colour with blue vesicles covering it. The tentacles are reddish-brown and short, and number up to around 100. This species is found in south Australia, New South Wales, down to Tasmania. This species lives on exposed reefs at depths of between 1 and 35 metres.
Aulactinia veratra, the green snakelock anemone, is a species of sea anemone in the family Actiniidae. It is native to the southeastern Indian Ocean and the southwestern Pacific Ocean.
Epiactis ritteri, the sandy anemone or Ritter's brooding anemone, is a species of sea anemone in the family Actiniidae. It is found in the Pacific Ocean on the western coast of North America in the shallow sub-littoral zone.
Epiactis lisbethae, commonly known as Lisbeth's brooding anemone, is a species of sea anemone in the family Actiniidae. It is similar in appearance to the common brooding anemone, and like it is native to shallow waters on the western coast of North America.
Epiactis fernaldi, commonly known as the Fernald brooding anemone, is a species of sea anemone in the family Actiniidae. It is native to shallow waters around the San Juan Islands off the western coast of North America.
Cricophorus nutrix, commonly known as the brooding or nurseanemone, is a species of sea anemone endemic to New Zealand.
Bunodosoma californicum is a species of sea anemone. It was first described to science by Oskar Carlgren in 1951. The type specimen that Carlgren used to describe the species was collected by Ed Ricketts in Puerto Escondido during his trip to the Gulf of California with John Steinbeck recounted in The Log From the Sea of Cortez.