Tunicate Collection (page 3)

Salps. Spiral colony of salps (Pegea socia). Salps are tunicate organisms related to sea squirts. They are filter feeders, sifting microscopic plankton from the water

Polycarpa aurata sea squirt
Polycarpa aurata tunicate, or sea squirt, amongst the branches of a Dendronephthya sp. soft coral. Sea squirts are sessile barrel-shaped animals that feed by filtering plankton from the water

Ink-spot sea squirt and a crinoid
Ink-spot sea squirt (Polycarpa aurata, blue) and a crinoid (right) amongst coral. Sea squirts are sessile barrel-shaped animals that feed by filtering plankton from the water

Polycarpa aurata sea squirts (purple/yellow) on a rock, surrounded by soft coral (orange). Sea squirts are primitive sessile animals that feed by passing water through their bodies

Ink-spot sea squirt (Polycarpa aurata) amongst coral. Sea squirts are sessile barrel-shaped animals that feed by filtering plankton from the water

Hingebeak shrimp on a seasquirt
Hingebeak shrimp (Rhynchocinetes durbanensis) on an ink-spot sea squirt (Polycarpa aurata) on a reef. Photographed off Rinca island, Komodo National Park, Indonesia

Hydroid crab on a seasquirt (blue). The hydroid crab (Hyastenus bispinosus) has decorated its body with hydroid (Hydrozoa) polyps

Starfish and sea squirts on a reef. Fromia nodosa starfish with sea squirts, soft corals and sponges on a reef. Photographed off Rinca island, Komodo National Park, Indonesia

Seahorse and sea squirts
Seahorse with sea squirts. Seahorse (Hippocampus sp.) with stalked green ascidians, or grape tunicates, (Oxycorynia fascicularis) on a reef

Soft coral and sea squirts

Red seastar and seasquirts
Red seastar (Fromia milleporella) amongst seasquirts (Atriolum robustum) on a reef. Photographed off Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia

Anemones and sea squirts. Zoanthid anemones (Acrozoanthus sp. red) and sea squirts (or tunicates, Clavelina sp. and Didemnum sp.) on a reef. Photographed in Indonesia

Blue stalked sea squirts (family Polycitoridae) on a reef. Photographed of Rinca island, Komodo National Park, Indonesia

Ascidian sea squirts (Pycnoclavella detorta) on a reef. Photographed in Indonesia

Ink-spot sea squirts and featherstar
Ink-spot sea squirts (Polycarpa aurata, purple and yellow) and featherstar on a reef. Sea squirts, or tunicates, are sessile barrel-shaped animals that feed by filtering plankton from the water

Ink-spot sea squirts (Polycarpa aurata, yellow and purple) on a reef. Sea squirts, or tunicates, are sessile barrel-shaped animals that feed by filtering plankton from the water

Sea squirts. Atriolum robustum (left) and Clavelina sp. (right) tunicates on a reef. Sea squirts, or tunicates, are sessile animals that feed by filtering plankton from the water

Sea squirts on coral. Stalked green ascidians or grape tunicates (Oxycorynia fascicularis) attached to a reef. Sea squirts filter plankton from the water current which circulates through them

Sea squirt and lancelet, artwork
Sea squirt and lancelet. Historical artwork of longitudinal sections through a sea squirt (Ascidia, left) and a lancelet (Brachiostoma formerly Amphioxus, right). Illustration by Ernst Haeckel

Doughboy scallop, Chlamys asperrimus, A scallop living in the middle of an ascidian colony, Edithburgh
AUS-1515 Doughboy scallop living in the middle of an ascidian / sea squirt colony. Edithburgh, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia Chlamys asperrimus John Lewis / Auscape / ardea.com Auscape Please note

Ascidians Indonesia
VT-7791 Ascidians - sea squirts Indonesia Clavelina moluccensis Valerie & Ron Taylor Please note that prints are for personal display purposes only and may not be reproduced in anyway

Light Bulb Tunicate - small sea squirt Pacific
PM-6430 Light Bulb Tunicate - small sea squirt Pacific Clavelina huntsmani Pat Morris Please note that prints are for personal display purposes only and may not be reproduced in anyway

A multitude of sponges, tunicates, feather stars, sea stars, soft and hard corals as well as fish co-exist harmoniously
Andre Seale / SplashdownDirect

Endemic Foxtail Colonial Tunicates. Gorontalo, Sulawesi, Indonesia
Stephen Wong / SplashdownDirect

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Discover the fascinating world of tunicates, also known as sea squirts. These unique marine creatures come in various forms and play important roles in our oceans. One captivating species is the Light bulb Sea Squirt or Tunicate, found in the North Atlantic. Its vibrant colors resemble a glowing light bulb underwater, making it a stunning sight to behold. Nudibranchs, such as the Nembrotha chamberlaini, have developed a taste for these tunicates and can be seen gracefully feeding on sea squirts on coral reefs, creating an intricate dance of predator and prey. The Red sea fan with gorgonian corals and Light-bulb sea squirt create a mesmerizing scene beneath the waves. The delicate beauty of these organisms intertwines to form an underwater masterpiece. Even other creatures seek refuge among tunicates' protective structures. A Giant rock scallop finds solace encrusted within their sturdy bodies, showcasing nature's ability to adapt and coexist. In some regions like Scotland's west coast or Puerto Galera in the Philippines, tunicates take on different forms. The Maidens salp and Goldring tunicate add splashes of color to these diverse ecosystems while serving vital ecological functions. But not all interactions are harmonious; some slugs like Thuridilla gracilis use their sapsucking abilities to feed off Royal seasquirts' surfaces. This constant struggle for survival highlights the complexity of life beneath the waves. Through breathtaking images captured by DDE-90037325, DDE-90037307, DDE-90024844, and DDE-90024842 we can witness firsthand the incredible diversity that exists within this group of organisms. Tunicates may seem unassuming at first glance but delve deeper into their world and you'll discover a realm filled with wonderment and intrigue—a testament to nature's boundless creativity beneath our oceans' surface.