Urticina crassicornis
| Mottled anemone | |
|---|---|
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| Urticina crassicornis | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Cnidaria |
| Class: | Anthozoa |
| Order: | Actiniaria |
| Family: | Actiniidae |
| Genus: | Urticina |
| Species: | U. crassicornis |
| Binomial name | |
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Urticina crassicornis Mueller, 1776 |
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| Synonyms | |
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Tealia crassicornis |
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Tealia crassicornis
The mottled anemone (Urticina crassicornis; formerly, Tealia crassicornis), also known as painted anemone or 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 of age. Mottled anemones are similar to Dahlia anemones (U. felina) and both are commonly referred to as northern red anemones.
Urticina crassicornis is biradially symmetrical and ranges from 2 - 12.7 cm tall with a width of 1 - 7.6 cm. This sea anemone has a solid basal plate which is always flat. Its column can be olive green with or without red spots; solid red; cream; or brown, always with small, inconspicuous tubercles but no acontia. Its tubercles are not white and do not usually accumulate bits of sand, gravel and shell. The tentacles, superior of the column and usually 100 in number, are green to opaque cream with red and white striations and semi-transparent when extended. The tentacles are conical, thick and blunt and arranged in 3 - 5 circular rings around the oral disc. The oral disc has no white striations and usually has the same color scheme as the tentacles.
Urticina crassicornis is found in the north Pacific Ocean (along coasts of both Asia and North America), north Atlantic Ocean (North America and Europe) and Arctic Ocean (Asia, Europe and North America). In the northeastern Pacific Ocean, it ranges from intertidal and subtidal zones of the Pribilof Islands, Alaska to Monterey, California. In the Atlantic Ocean, it is found in intertidal and subtidal zones ranging from the Arctic Ocean above Newfoundland, Canada to Cape Cod, Massachusetts (USA), and also along the coasts of northwestern Europe. In the state of Washington this sea anemone more commonly frequents the Puget Sound compared to the Pacific Ocean front. It is found in a lower intertidal, upper subtidal zone - 30 m deep, inhabiting well protected and shaded areas. Urticina crassicornis is a benthic and sessile organism, firmly attached only to hard substrata. This sea anemone is frequently found on docks, wood pilings, and under large rock outcroppings.
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Wikipedia