Invertebrate
Moonglow Anemone
Anthopleura artemisiaAlso known as Burrowing Anemone
Moonglow anemones anchor their elongated columns to submerged rocks, shells, or gravel buried deep beneath sand or mud, extending only their delicate oral discs to the surface. When the tide retreats or danger approaches, they retract completely underground, leaving behind nothing more than a faint dimple in the sediment. Their tentacles display mesmerizing radiating patterns of translucent grey, green, or pink that catch sunlight in shallow tidepools.
MarineInvertebrateIntertidal
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyAmphipods, Isopods, Polychaete Worms
Predators
- Leather Star
- Shag-rug Nudibranch
- Black Oystercatcher
ThreatsCoastal development, shoreline trampling, oil spills, and ocean acidification
HabitatsSandy mudflats, gravel beds, rocky intertidal shores, and sheltered bays
Life span20–50+ years
Classification
- OrderActiniaria
- FamilyActiniidae
- GenusAnthopleura
- SpeciesAnthopleura artemisia
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Harmless to humans; tentacles feel mildly sticky to touch.
Responsible observation
- Observation Timing: Visit sheltered sandy mudflats or low tide pools during extreme negative tides.
- Tread Carefully: Step only on firm rock surfaces to avoid crushing burrowed discs hiding flush with the sand.
- Gentle Viewing: Avoid poking exposed tentacles, as retracting drains the animal of essential energy.
Predator "Leather Star" by Ed Bierman is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/. · cc-by
Predator (c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Ken-ichi Ueda · cc-by
Close Relative "Aggregating Anemone, anthopleura elegantissima" by Ed Bierman is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/. · cc-by
Close Relative "Anthopleura sola - (Giant Green Anemone)" by jkirkhart35 is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/. · cc-by
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