''Peachia'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

sea anemone Sea anemones are a group of predation, predatory marine invertebrates of the order (biology), order Actiniaria. Because of their colourful appearance, they are named after the ''Anemone'', a terrestrial flowering plant. Sea anemones are classifi ...

in the family

Haloclavidae Haloclavidae is a family of sea anemones. Members of the family are found worldwide and many live largely buried in soft substrates with only their oral disc and tentacles protruding. Characteristics Members of this family mostly have elongated ...

. Members of this genus typically burrow into soft substrates. The only part of the animal that is normally visible is the oral disc and tentacles which lie flat on the sand in a star shape. The

type species In zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considered to be permanently taxonomically associated, i.e., the species that contains the biological type specimen ...

is ''Peachia cylindrica'' (Reid, 1848).Genus Peachia
Marine Species Identification Portal. Retrieved 2011-10-08.

Characteristics

Members of the genus ''Peachia'' have a rounded base called the "physa" with tiny perforations, a tall column called the "scapus" and a delicate upper region called the "capitulum". The "

siphonoglyph The siphonoglyph is a ciliated groove at one or both ends of the mouth of sea anemones and some corals. The siphonoglyph extends into a pharynx and is used to create currents of water into the pharynx. These water currents are important for respirat ...

", a ciliated groove, is elongated and partially separated from the tubular throat, the "actinopharynx". There is a lobed projection called a "conchula", unique to this genus, at the entrance to the siphonoglyph. There are twelve, flattened

tentacle In zoology, a tentacle is a flexible, mobile, and elongated organ present in some species of animals, most of them invertebrates. In animal anatomy, tentacles usually occur in one or more pairs. Anatomically, the tentacles of animals work main ...

s. Six of the pairs of

mesenteries In zoology, a mesentery is a membrane inside the body cavity of an animal. The term identifies different structures in different phyla: in vertebrates it is a double fold of the peritoneum enclosing the intestines; in other organisms it forms co ...

dividing the internal body cavity are perfect while the other four are imperfect, with powerful retractor muscles. There is no sphincter muscle. The

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. The ...

e are

parasitic Parasitism is a close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives on or inside another organism, the host, causing it some harm, and is adapted structurally to this way of life. The entomologist E. O. Wilson has c ...

medusae Jellyfish and sea jellies are the informal common names given to the medusa-phase of certain gelatinous members of the subphylum Medusozoa, a major part of the phylum Cnidaria. Jellyfish are mainly free-swimming marine animals with umbrella- ...

Species

The following species are listed in the World Register of Marine Species: *''

Peachia boeckii ''Peachia'' is a genus of sea anemone in the family Haloclavidae. Members of this genus typically burrow into soft substrates. The only part of the animal that is normally visible is the oral disc and tentacles which lie flat on the sand in a sta ...

'' (Danielssen & Koren, 1856) *'' Peachia carnea'' Hutton, 1879 *'' Peachia chilensis'' Carlgren, 1931 *'' Peachia cylindrica'' (Reid, 1848) *''

Peachia hilli ''Peachia'' is a genus of sea anemone in the family Haloclavidae. Members of this genus typically burrow into soft substrates. The only part of the animal that is normally visible is the oral disc and tentacles which lie flat on the sand in a sta ...

'' Wilsmore, 1911 *''

Peachia koreni ''Peachia'' is a genus of sea anemone in the family Haloclavidae. Members of this genus typically burrow into soft substrates. The only part of the animal that is normally visible is the oral disc and tentacles which lie flat on the sand in a sta ...

'' McMurrich, 1893 *''

Peachia mira ''Peachia'' is a genus of sea anemone in the family Haloclavidae. Members of this genus typically burrow into soft substrates. The only part of the animal that is normally visible is the oral disc and tentacles which lie flat on the sand in a sta ...

'' Carlgren, 1943 *''

Peachia neozealandica ''Peachia'' is a genus of sea anemone in the family Haloclavidae. Members of this genus typically burrow into soft substrates. The only part of the animal that is normally visible is the oral disc and tentacles which lie flat on the sand in a sta ...

'' Carlgren, 1924 *''

Peachia parasitica ''Peachia'' is a genus of sea anemone in the family Haloclavidae. Members of this genus typically burrow into soft substrates. The only part of the animal that is normally visible is the oral disc and tentacles which lie flat on the sand in a sta ...

'' (Agassiz, 1859) *''

Peachia quinquecapitata ''Peachia quinquecapitata'', also known as the twelve-tentacled parasitic anemone, is a species of sea anemone in the family Haloclavidae. It is found in the Pacific Northwest. The larva is parasitic on certain species of Anthomedusae. Descrip ...

'' McMurrich, 1913 *''

Peachia taeniata ''Peachia'' is a genus of sea anemone in the family Haloclavidae. Members of this genus typically burrow into soft substrates. The only part of the animal that is normally visible is the oral disc and tentacles which lie flat on the sand in a sta ...

'' Klunzinger, 1877

References

Haloclavidae Taxa named by Philip Henry Gosse {{actiniaria-stub