anemone Isotealia antarctica

Isotealia antarctica is found in Antarctica and in Bouvet Island, Chile, and Argentina at depths from 25 to 600 meters [2,3,5,7,9]. The somewhat blunt and conical tentacles of I. antarctica are arranged in six cycles and are 192 in number [2,3,4,7]. The points of the tentacles are often pulled inward and the inner tentacles are longer [3,4].



The column of Isotealia antarctica is flat-surfaced with fine wrinkles and folds and is colored brown-violet or salmon [3,5].



Oral disc and tentacles of Isotealia antarctica. The margin of I. antarctica has up to 100 small pseudo-acrorhagi (marginal spherules without special nematocysts) [3].

I. antarctica is among the largest and most conspicuous benthic invertebrates in the second benthic zone of Cape Armitage between 15 and 33 meters depth [1].



Here Isotealia antarctica is shown devouring the medusa Periphylla periphylla.

Large medusae or jellyfish which get close enough to the bottom in shallow water are prey to be captured by an anemone's tentacles [1]. The struggle can continue for quite awhile. The medusa pulses its bell as it tries to swim away while the anemone slowly pulls the medusa into its mouth.

Isotealia antarctica (on the right) is probably grabbing at the same prey as Urticinopsis antarctica (on the left).

Another shot of Isotealia antarctica (on the left) grabbing at the same prey as Urticinopsis antarctica (on the right). In this case, I. antarctica has been pulled off its attachment, probably by the struggles of the jellyfish, and has been seen attached to jellyfish it is consuming [9].



Here is Isotealia antarctica in Chile, with a column diameter of 2-4 centimeters [8].

Click on the photo at left to see more photos of Isotealia antarctica in Chile.

Taxonomic Note: Dell 1972 states that Isotealia antarctica is believed to be a synonym of Tealianthus incertus by Carlgren, citing Carlgren's 1939 and earlier works [6]. Carlgren in 1949 and 1959 refers to it as Isotealia antarctica and differentiates the two genera in 1949 [5,7].

1: Antarctic Ecology, Volume 1. MW Holdgate, ed. NY: Academic Press, 1970. pp.244-258; 2: Further Zoological Results of the Swedish Antarctic Expedition 1901-1903. Volume 2, Number 3. Actiniaria and Zoantharia. O Carlgren. Stockholm: PA Norstedt & Soner, 1927; 3: Mitteilungen Hamburg Zoologisches Museum und Institut 77:19-33, 1980; 4: Zoantharien. O. Carlgren. Ergebnisse der Hamburger Magalhaensischen Sammelreise. Hamburg: L Friederichsen & Co. 1898. pp. 25-26 plus accompanying figures 8 and 9; 5: Corallimorpharia and Actiniaria with Description of a New Genus and Species from Peru. O Carlgren. Lunds Universitets Arsskrift. Ny Foljd, Avd. 2. Band 56. No. 6. Kungliga Fysiografiska Sallskapet Handlingar. Ny Foljd, Band 71, No. 6. Reports of the Lund University Chile Expedition 1948-49. Number 38. Lund: CWK Gleerup, 1959; 6: Advances in Marine Biology 10:1- 216 (on page 43), 1972; 7: A Survey of the Ptychodactiaria, Corallimorpharia and Actiniaria. O. Carlgren. Stockholm : Almqvist & Wiksells Boktryckeri AB, 1949. Kungliga Svenska Vetenskaps-Akademiens Handlingar, 4th Series, Band 1, No. 1; 8: Vreni Haeussermann, personal communication, 2001; 9: Paul Dayton, personal communication, 2003; 9: Polar Biology 29(2):83-96, 2006

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