Anemone

Anemones can be very difficult to identify with absolute certainty. Taxonomists rely in part on the tiny stinging organelles, called nematocysts, distributed throughout the body wall of such anemones. Tentacles surrounding the flattened oral disc of an anemone manipulate its prey into a single "mouth" opening at the center of the disc. Wastes are expelled through the same opening. Anemones "breathe" through their general body surface, rather than through any specialized gill organs. There are currently approximately 20 different species of anemones identified from San Francisco Bay. The identification of each anemone specimen we collect in the Bay poses a large challenge.