Clavelina moluccensis
Clavelina molluccensis | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Subphylum: | Tunicata |
Class: | Ascidiacea |
Order: | Aplousobranchia |
Family: | Clavelinidae |
Genus: | Clavelina |
Species: | C. moluccensis (Sluiter, 1904)[1] |
Binomial name | |
Clavelina moluccensis | |
Synonyms | |
Clavelina molluccensis (Sluiter, 1904) (misspelling in literature) |
Clavelina moluccensis, common name bluebell tunicate, blue bell tunicate, or Blue Sea Squirt [2] is a species of tunicate (sea squirt), in the genus Clavelina (the "little bottles"). Like all ascidians, these sessile animals are filter feeders.
Description
This species is 0.5-2.5 cm long, and light to medium blue in colour. The top of the zooids contain characteristic dark blue patches and spots that are always visible. [3]
Distribution
This species is found in the waters around Australia,[4] Western Pacific, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Mariana Islands,[2] Philippines, Singapore, and Malaysia.[2]
Habitat
This species grows in clusters attached to dead coral[5] or other hard substrates, normally under overhangs.[2]
References
- ↑ WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Clavelina moluccensis (Sluiter, 1904)
- 1 2 3 4 View Clavelina moluccensis
- ↑ Allen, Gerald (2001), Marine Life of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, Tuttle Publishing and Periplus (Singapore), p. 62
- ↑ Data Use Agreement - GBIF Portal
- ↑ Allen, Gerald, (2000), Marine Life of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, Tuttle Publishing, pg. 62
External links
- Clavelina moluccensis at WoRMS
- Video of Clavelina moluccensis moving in current
- High resolution image at NOAA