Isactinia citrina

, Isactinia citrina, Isactinia citrina

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, Yellow Sea

## Isactinia citrina is a species of sea anemone found in the marine waters of the western Atlantic Ocean.

Description and Characteristics

Isactinia citrina, also known as the yellow sea anemone, is a small, solitary anemone with a cylindrical body. The column, or body, is typically yellow to orange in color and can reach a maximum size of about 2 cm in diameter. The oral disc, the top surface of the anemone, contains a single opening called the mouth, surrounded by tentacles. These tentacles are typically white or pale yellow and can be numerous, giving the anemone a striking appearance.

Habitat and Occurrence

Isactinia citrina is a common species in the western Atlantic Ocean, primarily inhabiting intertidal and shallow subtidal zones. It is often found attached to rocks, shells, and other hard substrates. The species is particularly prevalent in the neritic zone, the region of the ocean that extends from the shoreline to the edge of the continental shelf. This zone is characterized by its relatively shallow depth and abundant sunlight, providing ideal conditions for Isactinia citrina to thrive.

Taxonomy

Isactinia citrina is a member of the Actiniidae family, which comprises a diverse group of sea anemones. This family belongs to the Order Actiniaria, which includes a wide range of solitary and colonial anemones. Actiniaria is itself classified within the Class Hexacorallia, a group characterized by their possession of six or multiples of six tentacles. This classification reflects the evolutionary relationships among these marine invertebrates.

Feeding

Like most sea anemones, Isactinia citrina is a carnivore. It feeds primarily on small invertebrates, such as crustaceans, worms, and fish larvae. The anemone captures its prey using its stinging tentacles, which are covered in specialized stinging cells called nematocysts. The nematocysts release a toxin that paralyzes the prey, allowing the anemone to draw it into its mouth. The feeding habits of Isactinia citrina highlight its role in the marine ecosystem as a predator and a link in the food chain.

Associated Species

Image References

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