Genus: Styela
Life > Eukaryotes > Opisthokonta > Metazoa
(animals) >
Bilateria > Deuterostomia >
Chordata > Tunicata >
Ascidiacea (sea squirts) > Stolidobranchia > Family:
Styelidae
A total of 72 species
worldwide, with four species native to southern African seas, and a further
species that is naturalised in the region.
Species native to southern Africa
Information from Monniot et al. (2001)
and World
Register of Marine Species (WoRMS).
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Styela aequatorialis
Recorded from South Africa. |
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Styela angularis
Ranges from Lüderitzbucht in Namibia to the Eastern Cape, South Africa. |
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Styela canopus
Semi-cosmopolitan. In southern Africa, it has been collected from the Cape
Peninsula (False Bay and Kommetjie) and from Port Elizabeth. Occurs in
shallow coastal regions, in harbours, and on wrecks. |
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Styela materna
Recorded from Miller's Point, False Bay, Western Cape, South Africa, at a
depth of 2 m. Has also been recorded from South Georgia (sub-Antarctic) at a
depth of 66-180 m. |
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Species naturalised in southern Africa
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Styela plicata (Pleated sea squirt)
Believed to be native to Asia. Introduced to other parts of the world,
including southern Africa, through shipping. Within southern Africa, it
occurs from Richard's Bay to Saldanha Bay, mainly in harbours and marinas
(Picker and Griffiths 2011). |
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Publications
- 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 |
