Purple Colonial Tunicate

Botrylloides violaceus

Purple Colonial Tunicate

A colonial sea squirt that spreads as a flat sheet over docks, ropes and aquaculture frames in very shallow water. Each colony is a community of tiny clones, every one filtering plankton from the water, and the species fouls hard surfaces readily.

Taxonomy: Animalia › Chordata › Ascidiacea › Stolidobranchia › Styelidae › Botrylloides

Species data via the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS), AphiaID 148715.

FAQ

How deep does the Purple Colonial Tunicate live?
The Purple Colonial Tunicate (Botrylloides violaceus) is typically found at 0–2 m.
Is the Purple Colonial Tunicate dangerous to divers?
The Purple Colonial Tunicate is harmless to divers.