Distaplia Della Valle 1881

Locality: Spermonde archipelago, SW Sulawesi, Indonesia. Kott, 1990; p. 247 (South Australia)

In the Fall when this colony was photographed most tadpole larvae already have been released. Photographed at 20 m depth.

As with other colonial tunicates, the smaller pores are the filter feeder's intake pores; several of them share the larger excurrent pores. The tunicate's tadpole larvae may spend from a few minutes to several hours in the plankton before metamorphosis. Depth 16 m.

A cluster of Distaplia smithi on a stalk of Egregia kelp at Cape Flattery. Hydroids are clustered higher on the stalk. Individual clusters of Distaplia smithi are about 4 cm tall. (Photo by: Dave Cowles, July 2010)

Each individual has its own separate incurrent (oral) siphon but the excurrent (buccal) siphon is shared by several adjacent individuals. This closeup shows the arrangement of individuals.

Distaplia occidentalis from about 20 m depth, Sares Head, WA. The attachment stalk is at the bottom. (Photo by: Dave Cowles, July 2006)

All Biocode files are based on field identifications to the best of the researcher’s ability at the time.