Botryllus

a colonial Ascidian


photographed by Jan Parmentier


 
Colonial Ascidians are embedded in a common tunic. They share the same atrial opening but have separate mouths. A colony is formed by budding. I did once see this process with a tunicate from the genus Botryllus in a Petri dish in my study. Starting with one specimen it formed a small colony within a few days,

Species of Botryllus can be found in many colours. From the deep blue one seen here as a background image to the bright red one below.

back to larval tunicates

 back to adult tunicates

 

 The pictures on this page were taken by Jan Parmentier

© Jan Parmentier and Wim van Egmond 1998

 

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Published in August 1998 Micscape Magazine.

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