Species profile
Aggregating Anemone
Anthopleura elegantissima
Identify Aggregating Anemone (Anthopleura elegantissima) from a photo — free, unlimited, no sign-up — with the CatchRules iPhone app.
At a glance
Aggregating Anemone (Anthopleura elegantissima) is a cnidarian present across the CatchRules coverage area but without species-specific bag, size, or season rules tracked in our regulatory dataset.
Confirmed by 26,982 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with California, British Columbia, and Washington the top jurisdictions by observation count.
Notable details
- Reproduces asexually by splitting in two, forming dense clonal mats on rocky shores.
- Adjacent clonal groups wage 'clone wars,' battling rivals using specialized stinging tentacles called acrorhagi.
- Hosts symbiotic algae inside its cells, giving sun-exposed individuals a vivid green color.
- Can survive hours out of water during low tide by retracting its tentacles inward.
- One of the most abundant intertidal invertebrates along the entire Pacific Coast of North America.
Where Aggregating Anemone are seen
Background
Anthopleura elegantissima, also known as 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. A. elegantissima has become a model organism for the…
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Aggregating Anemone article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Frequently asked questions
What is Aggregating Anemone?
Aggregating Anemone (Anthopleura elegantissima) is a cnidarian present across the CatchRules coverage area but without species-specific bag, size, or season rules tracked in our regulatory dataset.
What is the scientific name for Aggregating Anemone?
Aggregating Anemone is Anthopleura elegantissima.
Are there fishing rules for Aggregating Anemone?
Aggregating Anemone does not currently have published fishing rules in CatchRules' curated jurisdictions. Identification, range, and habitat are still tracked above.
How can I identify Aggregating Anemone?
Take a photo with the free CatchRules iPhone app — on-device identification recognizes Aggregating Anemone along with ~1,500 other species. No sign-up, unlimited use.
Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.