eastern cape scuba diving
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| Scientific name: |
Pseudodistoma digitum sp2 |
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| Common name: |
Yellow digitum ascidian |
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| Taxonomy |
| Phyulm |
Sub Phylum |
Class |
Sub Class |
Order |
Sub Order |
Family |
Sub Family |
Genus |
Species |
| Chordata |
Tunicata |
Ascidiacea |
Not Defined |
Aplousobranchia |
Not Defined |
Pseudodistomidae |
Not Defined |
Pseudodistoma |
Pseudodistoma digitum sp2 |
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Short Description:
The colonies consist of a short basal primary trunk with secondary branches or stalks.The zooids open onto the upper parts of the secondary branches. These are divided into finger-like tertiary branches .The finger-like branches form clumps and have a uniform appearance; these clumps are crowded together and seem toradiate from the centre of the colony. Sand is absent externally but present in the basal and central test of the upper parts of the colony. The test is firm throughout. . The test between the zooids has a light yellowish colour and may turn dull and milky when the specimen is removed from the water.
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Identification
features: |
A section through the lobes of a fresh specimen shows a 2 - 3 mm surface layer that is orange or reddish in colour. |
| Size: |
Colonies are 5 - 20 cm in diameter and 10-15cm high and the branches that are up to 5 cm long and 1.5 cm in diameter |
| Behaviour: |
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| Diet: |
Filterfeeder |
| Distribution: |
Mozambique to Knysna |
| Depth: |
10-20m |
| Habitat: |
Rocky reefs |
| Reference: |
- Aplousobranch ascidians (Tunicata Ascidiacea) from southern Africa.
S. Parker-Nance. Ph.D. 2003.
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| Similar Species: |
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Database Statistics
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eastern cape scuba diving
