Didemnum molle (Green urn ascidian)
Life > Eukaryotes > Opisthokonta > Metazoa
(animals) >
Bilateria > Deuterostomia >
Chordata > Tunicata >
Ascidiacea (sea squirts) > Aplousobranchia > Family:
Didemnidae > Genus: Didemnum
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Didemnum molle (Green urn ascidian). [photo CL Griffiths
©] |
Distribution and habitat
Widely distributed in tropical waters of the
Indian and western Pacific oceans, where it is common on coral
reefs. Touches into South Africa at Sodwana Bay, KwaZulu-Natal,
where it has been collected at a depth of 15 m. Presumably also
occurs on the Mozambican coastline.
Ecological interactions
The green colour round the exhalent opening is
caused by the presence of symbiotic blue-green algae.
Links
- Sanamyan, K. (2012). Didemnum molle (Herdmann, 1886).
In: Noa Shenkar, Arjan Gittenberger, Gretchen Lambert, Marc
Rius, Rosana Moreira Da Rocha, Billie J Swalla, Xavier Turon
(2012) Ascidiacea World Database. Accessed through:
World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) on 2012-02-12.
Publications
- Branch GM, Griffiths CL, Branch ML, Beckley LE. 2017. Two
oceans - a guide to the marine life of southern Africa (4th Edition). Penguin Random House South Africa, Cape Town.
More details...
- Monniot C, Monniot F and Griffiths CL. 2001. South African
ascidians. Annals of the South African Museum 108(1): 1-141.
Text by Hamish Robertson |
