Li, Yang and Xu, Kui-Dong. (2020). Species diversity and faunal characteristics of the order Actiniaria (Cnidaria: Anthozoa) in the seas of China. Oceanologia Et Limnologia Sinica. Volume 51, Issue 3, Pages 434 - 443.

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Li, Yang and Xu, Kui-Dong

2020

Volume 51, Issue 3, Pages 434 - 443

Publication

Based on more than 700 records of the order Actiniaria Hertwig, 1882 collected from the seas of China, the species diversity and faunal characteristics of sea anemones are summarized. A total of 81 species are recognized, and the highest diversity is found in the South China Sea (55 species), next in the Yellow Sea (29 species), and the least in the East China Sea (23 species). The distribution pattern of actiniarians is different from the common pattern of marine species diversity that increases from the north to the south in the sea areas of China, and different from the latitudinal gradient distribution pattern of Anthozoa and Cnidaria to which sea anemones belong. It is also different from the global distribution pattern of actiniarians that the greatest species richness is located in 30°-40°N and 30°-40°S, fewer in tropical latitudes and the fewest species in polar areas. Furthermore, the faunal communities of the Chinese actiniarians were analyzed, which include 18 cold water species, 60 warm water species and 3 eurythermal species. The faunal characteristics of sea anemones and the environmental factors driving the species diversity in the seas of China are reviewed additionally.

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