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Distaplia bermudensis
Distaplia bermudensis
(Colorwheel Tunicate)
(Colorwheel Tunicate)
1. In situ (Danny Gleason)
2. In situ (Danny Gleason)
3. In situ - at base of wing oyster. (Greg McFall)
4. In situ-D. bermudensis is greyish white tunicate on right (Greg McFall)
5. Out of Water (Lauren Wagner)
6. Out of Water (Lauren Wagner)
7. Out of Water (Lauren Wagner)
8. Out of water-grayish white color morph (Steve Vives)
9. Out of water-grayish white color morph (Steve Vives)
Size
Colongy height: 1.25cm (0.5:) Colony width: 15-20cm (4-6")
Recognition Characters
Compound tunicate, which grows in rounded mounds that are encrusting, tough, and slick to the touch. Younger colonies may grow as a set of closely truncated heads which eventually merge into a continuous smooth surface.
Color
Highly variable. Can range from gray, green, red or pink purple, blue, black and yellow. Zooids color apparent through tunic.
Habitat & Depth
Encrust other organisms such as sponges, other tunicates, and hydroids and bryozoans. Also hard bottoms, dead coral, rocks and shipwrecks. To 50m.
Distribution at GRNMS
Abundant. Attach to a variety of substrates and other organisms.
Geographic Range
North Carolina south to Florida, Gulf of Mexico. Also Bermuda and West Indies
Behavior & Notes
Synonyms
Ruppert and Fox 1988
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