Distomus variolosus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Distomus variolosus | |
|---|---|
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| Distoma variolosum. (After Gaertner, loc. cit.) a, a colony, natural size; b, a single individual, enlarged. | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Subphylum: | Tunicata |
| Class: | Ascidiacea |
| Order: | Stolidobranchia |
| Family: | Styelidae |
| Genus: | Distomus |
| Species: | D. variolosus |
| Binomial name | |
| Distomus variolosus | |
Distomus variolosus is a species of tunicate or sea squirt in the family Styelidae. It is native to the northeastern Atlantic Ocean where it lives on the seabed,[2] typically on the stems and fronds of kelp.
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Distomus variolosus is a colonial sea squirt that forms leathery patches, often encircling the stems of kelp. The zooids are globose or ovoid and about 1 cm (0.4 in) high, with the two short siphons close together near the apex. It is difficult to distinguish the buccal siphon from the exhalant siphon. The zooids are separate, but linked by the base or the sides. Zooids with closed siphons have a warty appearance, giving the species its specific name. Generally red, the colonies may be spotted with yellow, brown or pink.[3]