Arachnactidae is a
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
of
tube-dwelling anemone
Tube-dwelling anemones or ceriantharians look very similar to sea anemones but belong to an entirely different class of anthozoans. They are solitary, living buried in soft sediments. Tube anemones live inside and can withdraw into tubes, which ...
s in the order
Ceriantharia
Tube-dwelling anemones or ceriantharians look very similar to sea anemones but belong to an entirely different class of anthozoans. They are solitary, living buried in soft sediments. Tube anemones live inside and can withdraw into tubes, which ...
. It is the only family in the monotypic order Penicillaria and comprises around 38 species. They differ from other ceriantharians in the makeup of their cnidome (the types of
cnidocyte
A cnidocyte (also known as a cnidoblast or nematocyte) is an explosive cell containing one large secretory organelle called a cnidocyst (also known as a cnida () or nematocyst) that can deliver a sting to other organisms. The presence of this ce ...
present), the relative sizes of the oral discs and the shape and structure of the mesenteries. These tube anemones dwell in parchment-like tubes immersed in soft sediment, and have two whorls of tentacles, the outer ones being much longer than the inner ones.
Genera
The
World Register of Marine Species
The World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) is a taxonomic database that aims to provide an authoritative and comprehensive list of names of marine organisms.
Content
The content of the registry is edited and maintained by scientific specialist ...
includes the following genera in the family :
[Molodtsova, T. (2015)]
Arachnactidae McMurrich, 1910.
Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2016-02-10
* ''
Anactinia''
Annandale, 1909
* ''
Arachnactis''
Sars, 1846
* ''
Arachnanthus
''Arachnanthus'' is a genus of tube-dwelling anemones in the family Arachnactidae. Members of the genus are found worldwide.
Characteristics
''Arachnanthus'' species live in parchment-like tubes which are buried in muddy or sandy sediment. Some ...
''
Carlgren, 1912
* ''
Dactylactis''
Van Beneden, 1897
* ''
Isapiactis''
Carlgren, 1924
* ''
Isarachnactis''
Carlgren, 1924
* ''
Isarachnanthus''
Carlgren, 1924
* ''
Isovactis''
Leloup, 1942
* ''
Ovactis''
Van Beneden, 1897
* ''
Paranactinia''
Carlgren, 1924
References
Ceriantharia
Anthozoan orders
{{Anthozoa-stub