Actiniidae is the largest family of sea anemones, to which most common, temperate, shore species belong.

Three exceptions are the bubble-tip anemone (with anemonefish and certain cardinalfish), snakelocks anemone (with Incognito goby) and Urticina piscivora (with painted greenling).

The problem with identification of genera within this family is that most species are readily distinguishable when alive but when fixated lose their color and some other features.

Arrangement of tentacles is important in defining genera for Actiniaria families.

Members of the family Actiniidae have one tentacle per space.