Attached Tunicates (Biotic Group)

Component: Biotic

Unique Identifier: 518

Biotic Setting	Benthic/Attached Biota
Biotic Class	Faunal Bed
Biotic Subclass	Attached Fauna
Biotic Group	Attached Tunicates
Biotic Community	Attached Didemnum Attached Molgula

Description

Definition

Areas dominated by attached members of the subphylum Tunicata, known as tunicates, ascidians, or sea squirts. Tunicates are bag-like filter feeders with an incurrent and an excurrent siphon. In some areas they reach high abundances. One species (Didemnum, see Figure 8.10) is a rapid invasive that blankets large areas, excludes other fauna, and has invaded many countries around the world, including the United States, on both the East and West coasts.