Taxonomy
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Cnidaria
- Class: Anthozoa
- Subclass: Hexacorallia
- Order: Actiniaria
- Family: Actiniidae
- Genus: Stomphia
- Species: Stomphia coccinea (Linnaeus, 1761)
Common names
- Red sea anemone (occasionally used in regional literature)
Description
Stomphia coccinea is a marine cnidarian belonging to the sea anemones. Individuals possess a cylindrical column that may reach up to 5 cm in length, tapering toward a pedal disc that adheres to substrata. The oral disc is surrounded by 120–200 short, tapering tentacles arranged in concentric whorls. Tentacles and column are characteristically reddish to orange‑red, giving the species its epithet “coccinea” (Latin for “scarlet”). The epidermis contains cnidocytes (stinging cells) typical of Actiniidae.
Distribution and habitat
The species is distributed in cold temperate to sub‑arctic waters of the North Atlantic. Recorded occurrences include the coasts of Norway, Iceland, the United Kingdom, the Gulf of Maine, and parts of the Canadian Arctic. S. coccinea is commonly found attached to hard substrates such as rocks, shells, and occasionally the abandoned shells inhabited by hermit crabs. It prefers depths ranging from the intertidal zone to about 200 m, where water temperatures are typically below 10 °C.
Ecology
- Feeding: Like other actiniarians, S. coccinea is a passive suspension feeder. It captures planktonic organisms and detritus with its tentacles, immobilizing prey with nematocysts before transporting food to the mouth.
- Reproduction: The species reproduces both sexually and asexually. Gametes are released into the water column for external fertilization, resulting in a planktonic planula larva that settles and develops into a new polyp. Asexual reproduction occurs via pedal laceration, wherein fragments of the pedal disc detach and develop into genetically identical individuals.
- Symbiosis: Observations have documented occasional associations with hermit crabs, wherein the anemone occupies the empty shell of a former gastropod, providing the crab with defensive benefits while gaining mobility and access to food particles.
Conservation status
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has not evaluated Stomphia coccinea. No major threats specific to the species have been identified, although general impacts of climate change and ocean acidification on cold‑water benthic communities could affect its populations.
Taxonomic notes
The species was originally described by Carl Linnaeus in 1761 under the name Actinia coccinea. Subsequent revisions placed it in the genus Stomphia. It is listed in the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) with the accepted name Stomphia coccinea (Linnaeus, 1761).
References
- Linnaeus, C. (1761). Systema Naturae (12th ed.). Stockholm: Laurentius Salvius.
- WoRMS Editorial Board (2024). World Register of Marine Species. Available at: https://www.marinespecies.org (accessed 2026‑04‑18).
- Daly, M., et al. (2003). The Phylogenetic Relationships of the Cnidaria. Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics, 34, 625‑654.
Note: All information presented is based on established taxonomic and marine biological literature up to the date of access.