Anthozoa is a class of marine invertebrates which includes the sea anemones, stony corals and soft corals. Adult anthozoans are almost all attached to the seabed, while their larvae can disperse as part of the plankton. The basic unit of the adult is the polyp; this consists of a cylindrical column topped by a disc with a central mouth surrounded by tentacles. Sea anemones are mostly solitary, but the majority of corals are colonial, being formed by the budding of new polyps from an original, founding individual. Colonies are strengthened by calcium carbonate and other materials and take various massive, plate-like, bushy or leafy forms.
Bubble-tip anemone is a species of sea anemone in the family Actiniidae. Like several anemone species, E. quadricolor can support several anemonefish species, and displays two growth types based on where they live in the water column, one of which gives it the common name, due to the bulbous tips on its tentacles.
Sea anemones are a group of predatory marine invertebrates constituting 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.
Rhodactis howesii is a species of marine cnidarian in the order Corallimorpharia, a sea anemone-like corallimorph found on reefs in tropical regions of the Pacific Ocean. It is commonly known as the green fuzzy mushroom, elephant ear mushroom coral, giant anemone, giant mushroom anemone and giant cup mushroom. This species is toxic when eaten raw and ingestion can cause fatal poisoning.
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.
Triactis is a genus of sea anemone in the family Aliciidae. It is monotypic, having only one species – Triactis producta. This species is found in shallow waters in the Indo-Pacific where it lives on the seabed, rocks and corals. It derives much of its energy needs from the symbiotic algae it contains. It also forms a mutualistic relationship with small Lybia crabs.
Phyllodiscus is a monotypic genus of sea anemones in the family Aliciidae. The only species is Phyllodiscus semoni, commonly known as the night anemone, which is native to shallow seas in the central Indo-West Pacific, such as Indonesia, the Philippines and southern Japan. It is venomous and can cause a painful, long-lasting sting to humans. It is called unbachi-isoginchaku in Japanese which translates as "wasp-sea anemone".
Actinothoe sphyrodeta, the sandalled anemone, is a small sea anemone in the family Sagartiidae. It is native to the northeastern Atlantic Ocean and is common on the north, west and south coasts of Britain. It is usually grey or whitish but may have an orange oral disc. The translucent white tentacles that grow around the edge of the oral disc can number up to 120.
Anthopleura stellula is a species of sea anemone in the family Actiniidae. It was first described in 1834 by Wilhelm Hemprich and Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg as Actinia (Isacmaea) stellula. It is found in the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea, and is unusual among sea anemones in that it can divide itself in two transversely.
Paranthus is a genus of sea anemones in the family Actinostolidae.
Paranthus rapiformis, the onion anemone, is a species of sea anemone in the family Actinostolidae. It was first described by the French naturalist Charles Alexandre Lesueur in 1817 and is native to the northwestern Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.
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.
Corynactis viridis, the jewel anemone, is a brightly coloured anthozoan similar in body form to a sea anemone or a scleractinian coral polyp, but in the order Corallimorpharia. It is found in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea and was first described by the Irish naturalist George Allman in 1846.
Metridium dianthus is a species of sea anemone in the family Metridiidae. It is found in the northern Atlantic Ocean and in the northeast Pacific Ocean. There is also a record from South Africa, possible resulting from an introduction.
Mesacmaea mitchellii is a species of sea anemone in the family Haloclavidae. It is found in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea where it burrows in soft sediment.
Isotealia antarctica, the salmon anemone, is a species of sea anemone in the family Actiniidae. It is found in the southern Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and the waters around Antarctica. It is a filter feeder and opportunistic predator.
Actinostella flosculifera, the collared sand anemone, is a species of sea anemone in the family Actiniidae. It is found semi-immersed in the sediment in shallow water in the tropical and subtropical Atlantic Ocean.
