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Phylum Cnidaria > Class Anthozoa > Subclass Zoantharia/Hexacorallia > Order Actiniaria
Seagrass anemone
Awaiting identification*
updated Nov 2019
Where seen? This tiny anemone is sometimes seen in seagrass meadows, stuck onto seagrass blades and seaweeds. Usually seen singly, sometimes, many are seen clustered together.

Features: Diameter 1cm with tentacles expanded. Many tentacles, tapering translucent with tiny bumpy spots, with slightly more opaque white tips. Body column short densely covered with tiny bumps. Broad foot which it uses to cling onto seagrass blades. It can 'swim' by undulating its tentacles in synchrony, but is not a vigorous swimmer. It can also move from one spot to another somewhat like an inchworm does: by sticking to a spot further away with its tentacles, unclamping its pedal disk, then relocating its pedal disk to a spot closer to its tentacles.

Sometimes confused with juvenile Swimming anemones which have opaque tentacles with bands.

Changi, Aug 12

Changi, Aug 12

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

Seagrass sea anemones on Singapore shores
On wildsingapore flickr

Other sightings on Singapore shores


Chek Jawa, Jun 17
Photo shared by Toh Chay Hoon on facebook.

Cyrene, Apr 24
Photo shared by Tammy Lim on facebook.

Cyrene, Apr 24
Photo shared by Tammy Lim on facebook.
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