Clavelina lepadiformis (Light-bulb sea squirt)
Life > Eukaryotes > Opisthokonta > Metazoa
(animals) >
Bilateria > Deuterostomia >
Chordata > Tunicata >
Ascidiacea (sea squirts) > Aplousobranchia > Family: Clavelinidae > Genus:
Clavelina
Distribution and habitat
Native to Europe but introduced to South Africa
where its distribution extends from Saldanha Bay (Western Cape) to
Durban (KwaZulu-Natal), occurring in harbours and sheltered lagoons
(e.g. Knysna) (Picker & Griffiths 2011). First recorded in 2001 in
South Africa; probably brought into the region on ship hulls.
Populations (possibly introduced) have also been recorded from
Morocco, Madeira and the Azores Islands.
Links
- Sanamyan, K.; Monniot, C. (2011). Clavelina lepadiformis.
In: Noa Shenkar, Arjan Gittenberger, Gretchen Lambert, Marc
Rius, Rosana Moreira Da Rocha, Billie J Swalla (2010) 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.
- Picker M and Griffiths C. 2011. Alien and Invasive Animals -
A South African Perspective. Struik Nature, Cape Town.
Text by Hamish Robertson |
