Didemnum Strawberry Tunicate

Appearance

This synascidia is in the form of a small ball. The common tunic called "cormus" is covered with small holes, the zoids. The zoids are grouped around a common cloacal siphon. The edge of the siphon is circled in a lighter color than the tunic. It is red-raspberry in color. Each zoid has its own mouth, digestive, heart and reproductive siphon. She secretes herself her tunic, composed of tunicin, 60% cellulose which is unique in the animal kingdom since cellulose is a compound specific to plants. Like sponges, it has spicules for identification. Size to be determined.

Distribution

Indian and Indo-Pacific Ocean and Red Sea.

Habitat

It is found on coral reefs, depth generally 8-10 m max 108 m

Reproduction

She is a hermaphrodite. Sexual reproduction, external fertilization and in the case of a common cloacal siphon, the fertilized eggs are kept in an incubator pocket in the cloacal cavity, from where the larvae will be expelled from the colony. They are planktonic, free swimming, before settling and developing on the substrate. Asexual reproduction by budding.

Food

It feeds on planktonic microorganisms by filtration.