Eudistoma santamariae

Appearance

The colonies are organised in a web of densely incrusted ramifications in which zooids and buds are embedded, from which vertically erect lobes emerge. The nourishing zooids are grouped in protruding purple naked heads, well spaced, raised above the sedimentary floor. The colony basal stolons can reach 50 cmin length. The colonies are strongly attached to the hard basaltic substrate and are only to be found where the rock is covered with a layer of soft white sediment 0,5 to 1 cm thick.

Distribution

Islands of Cabo Verde.

Habitat

The habitat of this ascidian, in a photophilic environment, on flat shallow sandy bottoms.