Key to Subclass Zoantharia (Hexacorallia)

Phylum Cnidaria
 Class Anthozoa

Taken primarily from  Kozloff, 1987, 1996 p. 71 (Copyright 1987, 1996, University of Washington Press.  Used in this web page by permission of University of Washington Press)
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1a Colonial, the bases of the polyps connected; column with sand and other foreign material embedded in it Zoanthids:
Order Zoanthidea ,
Epizoanthus scotinus
1b Not colonial (but some species form large aggregations by asexual multiplication); column without sand or other foreign material embedded in it, although such material may adhere to the outside of it, and an external calcareous skeleton may be present 2
2a Polyps with a calcareous external skeleton Corals: 
Order Scleractinia
2b Polyps without a calcareous skeleton 3
3a Tentacles with knobs on their tips (picture) Corallimorphs:
Order Corallimorpharia, 
Corynactis californica
3b Tentacles without knobs at their tips Anemones:
Order Actiniaria


Taxonomic Levels Represented in this Key:
Order Actiniaria
Order Corallimorpharia, Corynactis californica
Order Scleractinia
Order Zoanthidea , Epizoanthus scotinus

Page created by Brandon White, 7-2002
Edited by:  Dave Cowles, 8-2002, 2005
Edited by Hans Helmstetler 11-2002