Styela angularis (angular sea squirt) is a solitary, hermaphroditic ascidian tunicate that is found along the coast of Southern Africa from Lüderitz Bay in Namibia to the Eastern Cape.[2]

Styela angularis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Tunicata
Class: Ascidiacea
Order: Stolidobranchia
Family: Styelidae
Genus: Styela
Species:
S. angularis
Binomial name
Styela angularis
(Stimpson, 1855)[1]
Synonyms [1]
  • Cynthia angularis Stimpson, 1855
  • Tethyum costatum Hartmeyer, 1911
  • Styela costata (Hartmeyer, 1911)

Description

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Order of 100 millimetres (3.9 in) tall, with a tough flexible opaque hexagonal test tapering down to a narrow base peduncle. Stands upright on the substrate. Cloacal siphon terminal, and oral siphon slightly ventral and posterior.

Behaviour

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Occurs singly on rocks or other hard surfaces where water is clean and fairly fast moving. Often covered by epibionts.

References

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  1. ^ a b Rosana Moreira da Rocha & Karen Sanamyan (2013). Shenkar N, Gittenberger A, Lambert G, Rius M, Moreira Da Rocha R, Swalla BJ, Turon X (eds.). "Styela angularis (Stimpson, 1855)". Ascidiacea World Database. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved May 17, 2013.
  2. ^ Monniot, C; Monniot, F; Griffiths, C.L; Schleyer, M (2001). "South African ascidians". Annals of the South African Museum. 108 (1): 1–141. ISBN 0868131806.
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