A sea anemone (Hormathia coronata)

Distribution data supplied by the Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS). To interrogate UK data visit the NBN Atlas.Map Help

Summary

Description

The disc and the tentacles are orange or light brown. Most specimens have a delicate pattern of dark brown and white overlying this but it may be absent. Irregular streaks of opaque white may occur on the disc and tentacles. The tentacles are moderate in length and arranged in multiples of 6, in 5 cycles up to 96. The diameter of the base is up to 4 cm and the height is up to 5 cm. The base is broad and adherent. The major part of the column, directly above the base, is orange, red, brown or buff. The column above this is dark brown often purplish and with a white line encircling the upper-most limit.

Recorded distribution in Britain and Ireland

Recorded from the English Channel, western and northern coasts of Ireland, western Scotland and the Shetland Isles.

Global distribution

Recorded from the Mediterranean, around south western Europe to northern France.

Habitat

Occurs usually attached to organic substrata, such as shells and worm tubes but can also be found attached to stones or rocks. A sublittoral species which occurs down to 100 m.

Depth range

-

Identifying features

  • The disc and tentacles are orange and light brown with the tentacles moderate in length and arranged in multiples of 6.
  • The major part of the column, directly above the base, is orange, red, brown or buff with the column above being dark brown often purplish and with a white line encircling the upper most limit.

Additional information

Plastic sheeting found in the sea off Dawlish, Devon, is reported by fishermen to be the only known habitat in that area for Hormathia coronata.

Listed by

- none -

Further information sources

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Bibliography

  1. BMLSS (British Marine Life Study Society), 2002b. Ethics and conservation on the shore, [On-line] http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/BMLSS/ethics.htm, 2002-07-17

  2. Howson, C.M. & Picton, B.E., 1997. The species directory of the marine fauna and flora of the British Isles and surrounding seas. Belfast: Ulster Museum. [Ulster Museum publication, no. 276.]

  3. JNCC (Joint Nature Conservation Committee), 1999. Marine Environment Resource Mapping And Information Database (MERMAID): Marine Nature Conservation Review Survey Database. [on-line] http://www.jncc.gov.uk/mermaid

  4. Manuel, R.L., 1988. British Anthozoa. Synopses of the British Fauna (New Series) (ed. D.M. Kermack & R.S.K. Barnes). The Linnean Society of London [Synopses of the British Fauna No. 18.]. DOI https://doi.org/10.1002/iroh.19810660505

  5. Picton, B.E. & Costello, M.J., 1998. BioMar biotope viewer: a guide to marine habitats, fauna and flora of Britain and Ireland. [CD-ROM] Environmental Sciences Unit, Trinity College, Dublin.

Datasets

  1. Centre for Environmental Data and Recording, 2018. Ulster Museum Marine Surveys of Northern Ireland Coastal Waters. Occurrence dataset https://www.nmni.com/CEDaR/CEDaR-Centre-for-Environmental-Data-and-Recording.aspx accessed via NBNAtlas.org on 2018-09-25.

  2. Manx Biological Recording Partnership, 2018. Isle of Man historical wildlife records 1990 to 1994. Occurrence dataset:https://doi.org/10.15468/aru16v accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-01.

  3. NBN (National Biodiversity Network) Atlas. Available from: https://www.nbnatlas.org.

  4. OBIS (Ocean Biodiversity Information System),  2024. Global map of species distribution using gridded data. Available from: Ocean Biogeographic Information System. www.iobis.org. Accessed: 2024-04-24

Citation

This review can be cited as:

Peckett, F. & Garrard, S. L. 2008. Hormathia coronata A sea anemone. In Tyler-Walters H. and Hiscock K. Marine Life Information Network: Biology and Sensitivity Key Information Reviews, [on-line]. Plymouth: Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. [cited 24-04-2024]. Available from: https://www.marlin.ac.uk/species/detail/1826

Last Updated: 23/06/2008