DiscoverSpeciesCorals and anemones
Aggregating anemone
Anthopleura elegantissima
- Usual depth0–20 m
- Water temperature9–19 °C
- Best monthsNovember
- How commonCommon
About this species
The aggregating anemone, or clonal anemone, is the most abundant species of sea anemone found on rocky, tide swept shores along the Pacific coast of North America. This cnidarian hosts endosymbiotic algae called zooxanthellae that contribute substantially to primary productivity in the intertidal zone. The aggregating anemone has become a model organism for the study of temperate cnidarian-algal symbioses. They are most well known for the ability to clone themselves.
Text from the Wikipedia article “Aggregating anemone”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article
Where and when
Where it has been recorded
Worldwide
Loading the map
Best months
Worldwide (open data)
- January: 162 records
- February: 17 records
- March: 16 records
- April: 41 records
- May: 63 records
- June: 72 records
- July: 136 records
- August: 75 records
- September: 15 records
- October: 50 records
- November: 515 records
- December: 37 records
Depth and water temperature
Depth
Mostly recorded at 0–20 m · Deepest record: 41.2 m
Water temperature
Recorded in surface water of 9–19 °C
Names and classification
- English
- Aggregating anemone, Clonal anemone, aggregating anemone, clonal anemone
Names in 1 more languages
- German
- Klon-Anemone, Seeanemone
Other scientific names: Actinia (Taractostephanus) elegantissima, Actinia elegantissima, Anthopleura elegantisima, Anthpleura elegantissima, Bunodactis elegantissima, Cribrina elegantissima
Similar species
- Small Brown Sea Anemone
Anthopleura hermaphroditica
- Anjuna Anemone
Anthopleura anjunae
Sources and credits
Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).
- Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
- Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
- Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
- 5,790 open-data records from 1916 to 2026.
Log what you see on your next dive
The free DiveHive diver app keeps your logbook with every sighting and shows what lives at the site you dive next.