Daisy anemone (Cereus pedunculatus)

Distribution data supplied by the Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS). To interrogate UK data visit the NBN Atlas.Map Help

Summary

Description

The column of Cereus pedunculatus is dark and trumpet shaped, with large, protuberant pale 'suckers' occurring towards the top. Column height is usually up to 12 cm. It is typically a flesh, buff or greyish colour at the base, shading to dark grey, brown or purplish at the top. The oral disc is wide, usually 3-7 cm but can be as wide as 15 cm. Cereus pedunculatus tentacles are short, banded and mottled, numbering between 500 and 1000, and arranged in multiples of six around the oral disc. Colouration in the oral disc and tentacles varies from pale buff to deep purple or black. Often paler around the mouth.

Recorded distribution in Britain and Ireland

Cereus pedunculatus is common on the south and west coasts of Britain but rare on the east coast. Found all round the coast of Ireland, and the southern end of the Isle of Man.

Global distribution

Extends around west coast of Europe from the British Isles to the Mediterranean.

Habitat

Cereus pedunculatus is typically found in pools, holes and crevices, or attached to stones beneath the surface of sediments from the mid shore to at least 50 m depth.

Depth range

-

Identifying features

  • Tentacles short, numbering between 500 - 1000.
  • Column trumpet-shaped, up to 12 cm tall.
  • Large, prominent 'suckers' at top of column.
  • Oral disc usually 3-7 cm in diameter.

Additional information

Older specimens of Cereus pedunculatus have a broad central tentacle-free area on the oral disc. Cereus pedunculatus have very similar colouration to Sagartia species. However, the column of Sagartia species is not trumpet-shaped. Only the oral disc of Cereus pedunculatus is visible on soft sand or mud as the column is buried. There is often debris attached to the suckers on column.

Listed by

- none -

Further information sources

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Bibliography

  1. Fish, J.D. & Fish, S., 1996. A student's guide to the seashore. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

  2. Hayward, P., Nelson-Smith, T. & Shields, C. 1996. Collins pocket guide. Sea shore of Britain and northern Europe. London: HarperCollins.

  3. Hayward, P.J. & Ryland, J.S. (ed.) 1995b. Handbook of the marine fauna of North-West Europe. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

  4. Manuel, R.L., 1988. British Anthozoa. Synopses of the British Fauna (New Series) (ed. D.M. Kermack & R.S.K. Barnes). The Linnean Society of London [Synopses of the British Fauna No. 18.]. DOI https://doi.org/10.1002/iroh.19810660505

Datasets

  1. Centre for Environmental Data and Recording, 2018. Ulster Museum Marine Surveys of Northern Ireland Coastal Waters. Occurrence dataset https://www.nmni.com/CEDaR/CEDaR-Centre-for-Environmental-Data-and-Recording.aspx accessed via NBNAtlas.org on 2018-09-25.

  2. Cofnod – North Wales Environmental Information Service, 2018. Miscellaneous records held on the Cofnod database. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/hcgqsi accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-09-25.

  3. Dorset Environmental Records Centre, 2018. Ross Coral Mapping Project - NBN South West Pilot Project Case Studies. Occurrence dataset:https://doi.org/10.15468/mnlzxc accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-09-25.

  4. Fenwick, 2018. Aphotomarine. Occurrence dataset http://www.aphotomarine.com/index.html Accessed via NBNAtlas.org on 2018-10-01

  5. Fife Nature Records Centre, 2018. St Andrews BioBlitz 2016. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/146yiz accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-09-27.

  6. Isle of Wight Local Records Centre, 2017. IOW Natural History & Archaeological Society Marine Invertebrate Records 1853- 2011. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/d9amhg accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-09-27.

  7. Kent Wildlife Trust, 2018. Kent Wildlife Trust Shoresearch Intertidal Survey 2004 onwards. Occurrence dataset: https://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/ accessed via NBNAtlas.org on 2018-10-01.

  8. Manx Biological Recording Partnership, 2018. Isle of Man historical wildlife records 1995 to 1999. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/lo2tge accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-01.

  9. Manx Biological Recording Partnership, 2022. Isle of Man historical wildlife records 1990 to 1994. Occurrence dataset:https://doi.org/10.15468/aru16v accessed via GBIF.org on 2024-09-27.

  10. National Trust, 2017. National Trust Species Records. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/opc6g1 accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-01.

  11. NBN (National Biodiversity Network) Atlas. Available from: https://www.nbnatlas.org.

  12. OBIS (Ocean Biodiversity Information System),  2025. Global map of species distribution using gridded data. Available from: Ocean Biogeographic Information System. www.iobis.org. Accessed: 2025-05-22

  13. South East Wales Biodiversity Records Centre, 2023. SEWBReC Marine and other Aquatic Invertebrates (South East Wales). Occurrence dataset:https://doi.org/10.15468/zxy1n6 accessed via GBIF.org on 2024-09-27.

Citation

This review can be cited as:

Ballerstedt, S. 2008. Cereus pedunculatus Daisy anemone. In Tyler-Walters H. and Hiscock K. Marine Life Information Network: Biology and Sensitivity Key Information Reviews, [on-line]. Plymouth: Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. [cited 22-05-2025]. Available from: https://marlin.ac.uk/species/detail/1610

Last Updated: 24/04/2008