April 17
I was checking out the botryllids at the boat ramp last month when I noticed this weird ascidian. I wasn’t even sure it was a botryllid at first. It had what looked like zooids and apertures, but so do many other species. I was looking forward to the next week where we could collect a sample and figure out what is was!
Then I got Covid.
Unfortunately, Team Ascidian weren’t able to find this specimen. Which is completely understandable when you consider the size of the area. There are some things you only learn when you don’t drive and stick to the only decent place close to home.
I can’t describe how it’s different. Between some of the zooids, you have dots. With others, you have a white space. I’m thinking that these are rows of the actual zooids.
A friend suggested it could be Botrylloides giganteus. I’ve struggled to find accessible resources to tell the species apart. It’s hard to even find the right papers that may mention species! I decided to keep an eye on it and watch how it chages.
April 27
These photos were taken 10 days later. I think it may have been a completely different specimen at the boat ramp.
May 3
This is the same one that I first photographed. The colours are a lot more distinct. The main circle opening of the zooid is orange. The rest of what I think is the zooid is white. The bits in between are a deep purple with white dots.
I poked it and it was quite soft. I’m not sure if that is due to age or the actual species.
I’m really intrigued by this one. Hopefully it stays here long enough for us to collect a sample.
