Aplidium lobatum

Size

Colony height: reaching 0.75cm (0.25") Colony width: 7.5cm (3")

Recognition Characters

Encrusting. Tunic is smooth and rounded off as it encrusts other organisms. Zooids are arranged in elongated groups or rows.

Color

Tunic is somewhat transparent or colorless, but colonies are rather opaque due to the large quantities of sand present throughout the tunicate.

Habitat & Depth

Encrust hard bottoms, coral, rocks and shipwrecks. To 50m.

Distribution at GRNMS

Occasional. May be found encrusting bases of Oculina corals.

Geographic Range

Widespread distribution along Atlantic Coast, Caribbean. Can be found in the Mediterranean and Red Sea

Behavior & Notes

Synonyms

References

Van Name 1945