Pycnoclavella diminuta

Pycnoclavella diminuta, known as the white-spotted sea squirt, white-spot ascidian,
and white-spotted ascidian, is a species of tunicate, in the genus Pycnoclavella. Like all ascidians, these sessile animals are filter feeders.

Description

Pycnoclavela diminuta lives in colonies composed of small clusters of zooids that originate from a common stalk. Each zooid is approximately in length. They are golden yellow-orange in colour and have white spots. The spots vary in shape and size, but are well defined, and are consistent throughout the colony.
This species can be confused with Pycnoclavella flava, which may also have white spots. But Pycnoclavela diminuta can be differentiated in that the spots are always clearly defined and always constant.

Distribution

This species occurs in numerous locations, including:

Behaviour

Pycnoclavella diminuta is a sessile suspension feeder.

Habitat

This ascidian lives in depths from 5 to 20 metres in the benthic zone in caves and under ledges. It often occurs in environments with soft corals such as Dendronephthya and Scleronephthya.