sea anemones text index | photo index
Phylum Cnidaria > Class Anthozoa > Subclass Zoantharia/Hexacorallia > Order Actiniaria
Big hermit-hitching anemone
Awaiting identification*
updated Nov 2019

Where seen? This rather large anemone is sometimes seen on shells occupied by hermit crabs on our Northern shores. The anemone is sometimes many times larger than the hermit crab! It is also seen attached to rocks and other small rubble, rubbish with a hard surface, as well as living snails.

Features: Diameter with tentacles extended 2-3cm. Many short tapering tentacles. Some with opaque tentacles with dark base and paler tips, others with semi-transparent or beige tentacles with faint bands. Oral disk with radiating fine white stripes. Body column is thick, long with tiny bumps (verrucae) in regular bands. The body column usually covered with sediment.

Small anemones are also seen on shells occupied by hermit crabs as well as on living snails.

Changi, Jul 08


Changi, Jul 04

It was attached to a living snail.
Changi, Jul 09

Verrucae in regular bands.
Changi, Apr 10


Chek Jawa, Sep 10

Changi, May 10

Changi, Jul 09

*Species are difficult to positively identify without close examination.
On this website, they are grouped by external features for convenience of display

Big hermit-hitching anemones on Singapore shores
On wildsingapore flickr

Other sightings on Singapore shores


Pulau Ubin OBS, Jan 16
Photo shared by Jonathan Tan on facebook.

Changi, May 14
Photo shared by Marcus Ng on flickr.
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