Sea Squirts
Rhopalaea
Also known as: Colonial Ascidian, Compound Ascidian, Robust Sea Squirt, Stalked Ascidian, Tunicate, Zoids
- Colonial Ascidian
- Compound Ascidian
- Robust Sea Squirt
- Stalked Ascidian
- Tunicate
- Zoids
Overview
Found often in dense patches of cylindrical zooids, on drop-offs and walls of coral and rocky reefs.
They feed on plankton and detritus.
Height - ?cm
Depth - ?m
Widespread Indo-Pacific
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 · Indo-Pacific
- Country only · 1
Adult photos 1
Discussion
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Deep dive
Taxonomy
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- classAscidiacea
- orderAplousobranchia
- familyDiazonidae
- genusRhopalaea Philippi, 1843
SourcesWoRMS
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