Beadlet Anemone
Beadlet Anemone
Invertebrate
A jelly-like predator that survives low tide by pulling its tentacles inside.
💡 Fun Facts
- Pulls its stinging tentacles inside its body when the tide goes out, looking like a harmless blob of red jelly to conserve moisture.
Name Story
Actinia equina
means “The rayed one (with a horse-shaped puzzle)”
likely meaningThe 'rayed' part is clear, but why Linnaeus added the word for 'horse' is a genuine mystery that no one has explained.
What does its name mean?
- Actinia — rayed oneGreek aktis 'ray, sunbeam' — for the spreading tentacles
- equina — of a horseLatin — reason unknown
Underwater this little sea anemone opens a crown of fine tentacles that spread out like rays of the sun. Oddly, its name also carries the word for 'horse' — and nobody has ever worked out why.