Actinozoa -

: Includes soft corals, sea pens, and sea fans. They strictly possess eight branched (pinnate) tentacles and eight mesenteries. Ecological Importance

: Includes sea anemones and stony corals. They typically have tentacles and mesenteries in multiples of six. actinozoa

: Unlike many other cnidarians (such as jellyfish), Actinozoans do not have a medusa (free-swimming) stage in their life cycle. They remain as polyps throughout their lives. : Includes soft corals, sea pens, and sea fans

: The body consists of a central gastrovascular cavity divided by vertical partitions called mesenteries or septa. These mesenteries increase the surface area for digestion and support the gonads. : Includes soft corals

The name Actinozoa stems from the Greek words aktis (ray) and zoon (animal), referring to their radial symmetry and the "ray-like" appearance of their tentacles.