''Clavelina lepadiformis'',
common name
In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of everyday life; and is often contrast ...
the light-bulb sea squirt, is a colonial
sea squirt
Ascidiacea, commonly known as the ascidians, tunicates (in part), and sea squirts (in part), is a polyphyletic class (biology), class in the subphylum Tunicate, Tunicata of sac-like marine (ocean), marine invertebrate filter feeders. Ascidians ar ...
native to the NE
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
.
Distribution
This species is a common shallow-water ascidian in Great Britain and Ireland. It occurs from Norway along European coasts south to the Mediterranean. In the Mediterranean the presence of cryptic species has been demonstrated.
[Tarjuelo, I., D. Posada, K. Crandall, M. Pascual, X. Turon, (2001) ''Cryptic species of ''Clavelina'' (Ascidiacea) in two different habitats: harbours and rocky littoral zones in the northwestern Mediterranean'' Marine Biology, 139, 3, pp. 455-462.]
Description
The transparent tunic and visible yellow or white internal organs give this animal its common name.
References
External links
Photos of ''Clavelina lepadiformis'' in th
Sealife Collection
Enterogona
Animals described in 1776
Taxa named by Otto Friedrich Müller
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