Purple Colonial Tunicate
Botrylloides violaceus
Also known as: Botrylle Violet, Bulbous Tunicate, Chain Tunicate, Colonial Ascidian, Colonial Tunicate, Compound Ascidian, Invasive Colonial Tunicate, Invasive Tunicate, Lined Compound Ascidian, Lined Compound Tunicate, Orange Cloak Sea Squirt, Orange Sheath Tunicate, Sea Squirt, Sheath Tunicate, Tunicate, Violet Tunicate, Zooids
- Botrylle Violet
- Bulbous Tunicate
- Chain Tunicate
- Colonial Ascidian
- Colonial Tunicate
- Compound Ascidian
- Invasive Colonial Tunicate
- Invasive Tunicate
- Lined Compound Ascidian
- Lined Compound Tunicate
- Orange Cloak Sea Squirt
- Orange Sheath Tunicate
- Sea Squirt
- Sheath Tunicate
- Tunicate
- Violet Tunicate
- Zooids
Overview
Found over shallow coastal waters, attached in irregular flat sheets, to surfaces of boats, docks, harbours, macroalgae, mussel and oyster beds, reefs, rocks, etc, almost any solid surface!
Mussel and oyster farmers consider this tunicate a pest! Possibly spread around the world by shipping industries.
Ascidian, also known as tunicates because their bodies are covered by a "tunic" a tough cellulose-like covering.
The other common name is sea squirt because when threatened they sometimes eject a jet of water.
How to identify
Habitat & where to find it
- Range · Worldwide
- Country only · 1
Found over shallow coastal waters, attached in irregular flat sheets, to surfaces of boats, docks, harbours, macroalgae, mussel and oyster beds, reefs, rocks, etc, almost any solid surface!
Adult photos 1
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Deep dive
More in the family
Stolidobranchia
