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You are here: Home1 / Learn2 / Flotsam3 / Sea squirts

Sea squirts

Sea squirts (ascidians or tunicates) are sedentary animals that live attached to rocks. Most commonly found washed up is the orange-red Sea Tulip with its stalk and two openings. Often found also are the colonial sea squirts – squashy objects with many small openings.

Sea squirt

Common name

Ascidian or sea squirt

Scientific name

(Chordata: Ascidiacea)

Description

Also called tunicates because of their tough outer covering or “tunic”, the ascidians are sedentary, filter-feeding animals.

Sea tulip

Common name

Sea tulip

Scientific name

Pyura australis (Chordata: Ascidiacea)

Description

This is a solitary, stalked species of sea-squirt. Water is pumped into the animal through an inhalant siphon and after being filtered for tiny food particles is ejected through an exhalent siphon.

Sea squirt

Common name

Sea squirt

Scientific name

(Chordata: Ascidiacea)

Description

This is another solitary, stalked species of ascidian related to the Sea Tulip. Ascidians have a free-swimming larval stage like a small tadpole that only lives for a few hours before settling on a suitable surface and transforming into an adult sea squirt. Features of the larval stage indicate that ascidians are related to the fishes and other backboned animals.

Colonial sea squirt

Common name

Colonial ascidian or sea squirt

Scientific name

(Chordata: Ascidiacea)

Description

This is a colonial species, in which individuals divide to form a colony.

Cottesloe Coastcare Association

PO Box 32
Cottesloe WA 6911
info@cottesloecoastcare.org

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