light-bulb tunicate
The light-bulb tunicate is a small transparant tunicate that has a large distribution around the world seas. It can be found on shallow rocky sublittoral habitats and is often seen on harbor piles.the light-bulb tunicate feeds on plankton
Clavelina lepadiformis feeds on plankton by actively pumping water through the faryngeal basket. This active feeding method gives this species the advantage to thrive in very still water. The water stream is moved by cilia lining the siphons. The light-bulb tunicate is also tolerant for changing in salanity so it can also be found in slightly brackish waters .
the light-bulb tunicate is an invasive species
The light-tunicate has its origin in the mediterranean and north sea , but has spread to other seas and is now present in every ocean and many seas. It is probably transported by ships as hull fouling adults as the free swimming larvae have only a short live span. The growing rate is high: it takes about two months from an immature zooids to grow to a full size adult.
Live on a wooden pile: limpets, barnacles, goose barnacle, bivalves and anemoons inhibit the upper parts.
1 Clavelina lepadiformis or light-bulb tunicate
2 mussel
3 common seastar or starfish
4 vase tunicate or Ciona intestinalis
5 Atlantic cod
6 moon jelly or Aurelia aurita
7 European squid or Loligo vulgaris
predators of the light-bulb tunicate
Predators of the light-bulb tunicate include bottom-feeding fishes like eels, carnivorous gastropods, starfishes, and some flatworms such as Prostheceraeus moseleyi. (Riley 2008)
the light-bulb tunicate as a study object
The light-bulb tunicate is often used as a model for the morphology and physiology of all ascidians.
Tunicata and marine bryozoan from the Northsea.
source:"Der Strandwanderer" by P. Kuckuck. 1905
1 sea mat or Lacy Crust Bryozoan or Membranipora membranacea, a marine bryozoan
2 hairy sea mat or Electra pilosa, a marine bryozoan
3 Broad-Leafed Hornwrack or Flustra foliacea
4 Securiflustra securifrons
5 Crisia eburnea
6 jelly bryozoan or Alcyonidium gelatinosum
7 Sea Squirt or Ascidia virginea
8 Baked Bean Ascidian or Dendrodoa grossularia
9 Crystal Ascidia or Clavellina lepadiformis
Tunicata of the Arctic and Atlantic ocean.
1 Phallusia mammillata
2 sea pineapple or Halocynthia roretzi
3 Ascidia virginea
4 Lesser Gooseberry Sea Squirt or distomus variolosus
5 Sycozoa umbellata
6 Styela clavata
7 sea potato or Boltenia ovifera
8 Sea peach or Halocynthia aurantium
9 cactus sea squirt or Boltenia echinata
10 light-bulb tunicata
11 star ascidian or golden star or Botryllus schlosseri
12 Ecteinascidia tortugensis
13 Elephant ear ascidian or Gynandrocarpa placenta
14 Vase tunicate or Ciona intestinalis
15 Pyura setosa
16 Pyura Molina
17 Styela plicata