Cylista ornata

, Cylista ornata

Afghanistan, Alaska, Algeria, Andaman and Nicobar, Angola, Antarctica, Antigua and Barbuda, Arctic, Argentina, Ascension Island, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Azores Islands, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Canary Islands, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chile, China, Cocos Islands, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Corsica Island, Crete Island, Croatia, Curaçao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, El Salvador, England, Equatorial Guinea, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, French Polynesia, Gabon, Galapagos Islands, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Hawaii, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Macedonia, Madagascar, Madeira Islands, Malawi, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norfolk Island, North Korea, Northern Ireland, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Reunion Island, Romania, Russia, Saint Martin, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sardinia Island, Scotland, Senegal, Serbia, Sicily Island, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Georgia And The South Sandwich Islands, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Turks and Caicos Islands, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States Minor Outlying Islands, Uruguay, US Minor Islands, USA, Uzbekistan, Vatican City, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands, Wales, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Amvrakikos Gulf, Andaman Sea, Arabian Sea, Aral Sea, Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Baltic Sea, Barents Sea, Bay of Bengal, Bay of Biscay, Beaufort Sea, Bering Sea, Black Sea, Bohai Sea, Cantabrian Sea, Celtic Sea, Chukchi Sea, Coral Sea, Dead Sea, English Channel, German Bight, Great Barrier Reef, Greenland Sea, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Fonseca, Gulf of Maine, Gulf of Mexico, Gulf of Saint Lawrence, Halmahera Sea, Iberian Sea, Indian Ocean, Java Sea, Korinthiakos Gulf, Labrador Sea, Levantine Sea, Lingayan Gulf, Mediterranean Sea, Moro Gulf, Okhotsk Sea, Pacific Ocean, Pagassitikos Gulf, Salish Sea, Saronikos Gulf, Scotia Sea, Sea of Azov, Sea of Marmara, Siberian Sea, South China Sea, Southern Ocean, Thermaikos Gulf

Cylista ornata is a species of sea anemone belonging to the family Sagartiidae. This intriguing marine invertebrate is characterized by its vibrant colors and distinctive morphology, making it a captivating sight in the underwater world.

Description & Characteristics

Cylista ornata is a relatively small sea anemone, with an average size of a few centimeters in diameter. Its body is typically cylindrical in shape, with a smooth, fleshy column. The most striking feature of this species is its coloration: it exhibits a combination of bright red, orange, and yellow hues, creating a vibrant and captivating appearance. The tentacles of Cylista ornata are numerous and slender, arranged in rows around the oral disc. They are used for capturing prey and for defense.

Habitat and Occurrence

Cylista ornata is typically found in shallow, rocky, or sandy habitats along coastlines. It is a common inhabitant of intertidal zones and subtidal regions, often residing in crevices, under rocks, or among algae. The species is distributed throughout the temperate waters of the Atlantic Ocean, including the North Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, and the coasts of Western Europe.

Taxonomy

Cylista ornata is classified within the phylum Cnidaria, which includes a diverse array of aquatic invertebrates such as jellyfish, corals, and sea anemones. This species belongs to the Class Hexacorallia, characterized by having six or multiples of six tentacles, and the Order Actiniaria, encompassing the true sea anemones. Within this order, it is a member of the Family Sagartiidae, a group known for their diverse morphology and coloration.

Feeding

Cylista ornata is a carnivorous predator, feeding primarily on small invertebrates such as crustaceans, worms, and plankton. It uses its tentacles to capture prey, stinging and paralyzing them with nematocysts, specialized stinging cells located on the tentacles. Once subdued, the prey is transported to the mouth, where it is ingested and digested within the gastrovascular cavity of the sea anemone.

Associated Species

Image References

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