| Clavelina moluccensis | |
|---|---|
| |
| A colony of Clavelina molluccensis, showing the characteristic row of three blue dots between the siphons | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Subphylum: | Tunicata |
| Class: | Ascidiacea |
| Order: | Aplousobranchia |
| Family: | Clavelinidae |
| Genus: | Clavelina |
| Species: | C. moluccensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Clavelina moluccensis (Sluiter, 1904) | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Clavelina molluccensis (Sluiter, 1904) (misspelling in literature) | |
Clavelina moluccensis, common name bluebell tunicate, blue bell tunicate, or blue sea squirt is a species of tunicate (sea squirt), in the genus Clavelina (the "little bottles"). Like all ascidians, these sessile animals are filter feeders.
Description
This species is 0.5-2.5 cm long, and light to medium blue in colour. The top of the zooids contain characteristic dark blue patches and spots that are always visible.
Distribution
This species is found in the waters around Australia, Western Pacific, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Mariana Islands, Philippines, Singapore, and Malaysia.
Habitat
This species grows in clusters attached to dead coral or other hard substrates, normally under overhangs.
References
- WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Clavelina moluccensis (Sluiter, 1904)
- ^ View Clavelina moluccensis
- Allen, Gerald (2001), Marine Life of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, Tuttle Publishing and Periplus (Singapore), p. 62
- Data Use Agreement – GBIF Portal
- Allen, Gerald, (2000), Marine Life of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, Tuttle Publishing, pg. 62
External links
- Clavelina moluccensis at WoRMS
- Video of Clavelina moluccensis moving in current
- High resolution image at NOAA
| Taxon identifiers | |
|---|---|
| Clavelina moluccensis | |
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