Ascidia mentula
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Ascidia mentula | |
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Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Subphylum: | Tunicata |
| Class: | Ascidiacea |
| Order: | Phlebobranchia |
| Family: | Ascidiidae |
| Genus: | Ascidia |
| Species: | A. mentula |
| Binomial name | |
| Ascidia mentula | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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Ascidia mentula is a species of solitary tunicate. It is found in the north east Atlantic Ocean, the Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea. It occurs around the coasts of Great Britain, but is rarely seen on the east coast of England or Scotland.
at=atrial siphon;
br=oral siphon;
t=tunic
Ascidia mentula has a tough leathery envelope or tunic composed partly of cellulose. The translucent tunic encloses a fluid-filled body with irregular bulges and two inconspicuous siphons. It is 5 to 18 cm (2 to 7 in) tall, bottle or flask-shaped with the oral (inlet) siphon at the tip and the six-lobed atrial siphon half to two thirds of the way down. The oral siphon has six to eight, white-tipped, lobes and is surrounded by up to 100 branchial tentacles. It is usually red, pink or sometimes olive green in colour, and may be grey in deep water. It normally adheres to the substrate by the side opposite the atrial siphon.[2][3]
Distribution and habitat
Ascidia mentula is native to the north eastern Atlantic Ocean, its range extending from Norway southwards to the Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea. It occurs on rocky substrates at depths ranging from subtidal down to 200 metres (660 ft).[2] It favours crevices and shady gullies and sometimes adheres to Laminaria holdfasts, stones and shells.[4]