Clavelina moluccensis
| Clavelina molluccensis | |
|---|---|
 |
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| 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 | |
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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)
- ^ a b c d 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
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