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An animal of the class Anthozoa, and family Actinidæ. From a resemblance to flowers in form and color, they are often called animal flowers and sea anemones. [See Polyp.].

The Anthozoa.

Any species or marine hydroids, of the genus Hydractinia and allied genera. These hydroids form, by their rootstalks, a firm, chitinous coating on shells and stones, and esp. on spiral shells occupied by hermit crabs. See Illust. of Athecata.

An old name for those Anthozoa which, like the actinias, have numerous simple tentacles.

Having the form of rays; radiated, as an actinia.

A group of Coelenterata, comprising the Anthozoa Ctenophora. The sea anemone, or actinia, is a familiar example.

The sea anemone. See Actinia, and Sea anemone.

er (Zoöl.), a name given to certain marine animals resembling a flower, as any species of actinia or sea anemone, and other Anthozoa, hydroids, starfishes, etc. -- Animal heat (Physiol.), the heat generated in the body of a living animal, by means of which the animal is kept at nearly a uniform temperature. -- Animal…

Of or pertaining to the angles of the mouth; as, a gonidial groove of an actinian.

A bright-colored European actinian (Anemonia, or Anthea, sulcata); -- so called because it does not retract its tentacles.

The young attached larva of Discophora in the stage when it resembles a hydroid, or actinian.

ny one of numerous species of soft-bodied Anthozoa, belonging to the order Actrinaria; an actinian.

Any one of several species of actinians belonging to the genus Cerianthus. These animals have a long, smooth body tapering to the base, and two separate circles of tentacles around the mouth. They form a tough, flexible, feltlike tube with a smooth internal lining, in which they dwell, whence the name.…

us species, found mostly in tropical seas. The zooids or polyps resemble small, elongated actinias united together at their bases by fleshy stolons, and thus forming extensive groups. The tentacles are small and bright colored.