Brain Ascidian

Sycozoa cerebriformis

"Sycozoa cerebriformis", is a sea squirt in the family Holozoidae, first described by Jean René Constant Quoy and Joseph Paul Gaimard in 1834 as "Aplidie cerebriforme." The taxonomic decision which determined the name, "Sycozoa cerebriformis", and the species' synonymy was given by Patricia Kott in 1990.
Sycozoa cerebriformis A sea squirt,washed up on the beach. Australia,Eamwmarine invertebrates,Encounter Bay SA,Geotagged,Summer,Sycozoa cerebriformis

Appearance

This sea-squirt is composed of a folded colony of zooids in double rows. The siphons run along the top of the twisted structure, which grows up to 15 cm. The colonies start as flattened fans. On growing and expanding, the colonies fold and bend resulting in a brain-like appearance.

Distribution

It is found from Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia to Western Australia, on the sea floor and in caves and crevices at depths up to 50 m.

References:

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Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionChordata
ClassAscidiacea
OrderAplousobranchia
FamilyHolozoidae
GenusSycozoa
SpeciesS. cerebriformis
Photographed in
Australia