A large, brightly-coloured anemone, living on sublittoral shells and stones. Northern Ireland has the only known locations in Ireland for this species, and its habitat is threatened by mobile fishing gear and possibly aggregate extraction.

In brief

• Found on numerous sites on the north-east and east coasts of Northern Ireland
• Sublittoral stones and shell debris from 10m to considerable depths
• Can be found throughout the year
• Northern Ireland has the only known Irish populations of this species
• Main threats come from habitat disruption, though the species may be vulnerable to climate change in its Northern Ireland locations.

Species description: This is quite a large anemone, its base and relatively smooth column both being about 70mm in diameter and height. It has two rings of tentacles, and unusually for anemones, the inner one has only six tentacles, whilst the outer has 10-12. The anemone varies in colour, mostly being white, orange, yellowish or brown and often blotched with red. A highly unusual characteristic, which has provoked a considerable amount of research, is its ability to disconnect itself from its substrate and swim in response to threats by predators such as starfish or sea slugs. It appears to do this by flexing its column, but the precise mechanism is still a matter for some debate.

Life cycle: There is no information on this for Northern Ireland, but it has been reported from elsewhere that external fertilisation takes place and the eggs develop into planktonic, plankton-feeding larvae, a mechanism which would encourage wide dispersal.

Similar species: Urticina eques is superficially similar, but is much larger, has two circles of ten tentacles each, and has small wart-like structures on its column.

How to see this species: The species is recorded from numerous sites on the north-east and east coasts of Northern Ireland, notably Rathlin, off Ballycastle, Tor Head, Ballygalley Head, and Island Magee and at the entrance to Belfast Lough. Off County Down it is found off the Copeland Islands and the northern parts of the Outer Ards. Its habitat is shell debris or stones, to which it attaches itself, and it is only sublittoral, occurring at depths ranging from 10m to considerable depths. There are no sites elsewhere in Ireland, and in Britain it is recorded from both western and eastern Scotland as well as north-eastern England. It is widespread throughout cold temperate and subarctic regions of the northern hemisphere.

Current status: Stomphia coccinea occurs in numerous locations in Northern Ireland. The species has no legal protection.

Why is this species a priority in Northern Ireland? Northern Ireland holds the entire Irish population of this species.

Threats: The main threat to this species is likely to come from disruption of its habitat by fisheries using mobile bottom trawling or dredging gear, by aggregate extraction. However, it is also possible that increases in sea temperature due to climate change might result in the range contracting northwards, and Northern Ireland must be regarded as being as one of the most southerly locations in Europe.

Action:

• Maintain the number of viable populations of the species
• Maintain the range of the species in Northern Ireland
• Establish appropriate management of known sites; consider further designation measures
• Monitor population at key locations.

Objectives: Records of new sites for this species, with details of habitat and population are always valuable. Send these to CEDaR, National Museums Northern Ireland, 153 Bangor Road, Cultra, Holywood, County Down, BT18 0EU. Tel 028 9039 5257 or e-mail cedar.info [at] nmni.com. If you are a diver, and interested in becoming involved in recording marine life in Northern Ireland through the Seasearch project, contact Claire Goodwin at claire.goodwin [at] gmail.com or look at the web site www.seasearch.org.uk (Northern Ireland web pages).

Conservation: Survey work is being conducted throughout Northern Ireland waters (including the north coast) by Northern Ireland Environment Agency for this and other species and habitats generally.

Rathlin Island and its waters have been designated Special Protection Areas under the EU Habitats Directive, but other locations for this species have no protective designations at present.

There is no Species Action Plan for Stomphia coccinea; however, the UK Habitat Action Plan for Sublittoral Sands and Gravels has the following relevant objectives:

• protect the extent of a representative range of sublittoral sand and gravel habitats and communities
• protect the quality of a representative range of sublittoral sand and gravel habitats and communities.

The Inshore Sublittoral Sediment UK HAP also has the following objectives:

• protecting sites of conservation importance from damage through contamination and physical disturbance or excessive use (for example, nutrient enrichment, dredging and development)
• requiring EIAs for coastal developments to examine potential effects on nearshore areas
• monitoring any impact of dump sites on inshore sublittoral sediment habitats, communities and wildlife, and take action as appropriate
• developing and implementing strategies for the conservation and management of the wider marine environment at local, regional and national levels. For example, integrated Coastal Management Plans, water quality objectives, pollution control and avoidance measures. Species recovery and habitat restoration programmes should be included.

Distribution Map from NBN: Stomphia coccinea at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Stomphia coccinea at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

WoRMS: Stomphia coccinea at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Stomphia coccinea (Müller, 1776). AphiaID: 100854.

Literature:

Mackie, G.O. (1976). Coelenterate Ecology and Behaviour. Symposium, University of Victoria, Canada. Plenum Press, New York and London.

Picton, B.E. and Morrow, C.C. (2007). [In] Encyclopedia of Marine Life of Britain and Ireland.

Classification: Biota; Animalia; Cnidaria; Anthozoa; Hexacorallia; Actiniaria; Enthemonae; Actinostoloidea; Actinostolidae; Stomphia

Previous species

Next species

Allen & Mellon Environmental Ltd. (2026). Stomphia coccinea. (O F Müller, 1776). [In] Priority species, Marine Biodiversity Portal NI. https://www2.habitas.org.uk/marbiop-ni/priorityaccounts.php?item=D11920. Accessed on 2026-07-28