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