Sea Grape Tunicate
Molgula manhattensis
Description 2
This species is a simple, solitary ascidian, that sometimes grows in dense clusters. The body is globular in shape, measures 1-4 cm in diameter, and attaches to the substrate at its base. The oral and atrial siphons are positioned anteriorly, and prominent when extended. Overall, the tunic is translucent to greyish-green in colour; the surface is covered with numerous tiny hair-like fibrils, often fouled with pieces of shell, algae, or sediment. A bean-shaped kidney is located on the right side of the body, and along with the reproductive gonads, is often visible through the tunic.
Distribution 3
Bay of Fundy to Gulf of Mexico
Look alikes 4
In the Northeast Pacific, Molgula manhattensis is most similar to to other molgulid tunicates, including M. pacifica (Huntsman, 1912), M. pugetiensis Herdman, 1898, and M. verrucifera Ritter and Forsyth, 1917; another non-native species found in the region, M. ficus (Macdonald, 1859); and in Alaska, M. retortiformis Verrill, 1871 and the recently documented M. citrina Alder and Hancock, 1848.
Habitat 5
infralittoral of the Gulf and estuary
Diet 6
plankton feeder
Link to Access Genomic Data 7
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?id=30281&lvl=0
Sources and Credits
- (c) Brandon Seah, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://www.flickr.com/photos/94863659@N00/6120086307/
- (c) Frey, Melissa, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/16891935
- (c) WoRMS for SMEBD, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://eol.org/data_objects/29749243
- (c) Frey, Melissa, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/11481287
- (c) WoRMS for SMEBD, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://eol.org/data_objects/29749312
- Adapted by Emily Rose Sharkey from a work by (c) WoRMS for SMEBD, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://eol.org/data_objects/29749350
- (c) Emily Rose Sharkey, all rights reserved
