Invertebrate ID help - Bivalve?? Resurrection Bay, Alaska

[seekncritters]

I'm not sure whether this is some kind of bivalve? It doesn't look like a tunicate since there was only one siphon sticking up. What is it?

Found at Hidden Treasure, Resurrection Bay, Alaska, about 20 ft deep, was sticking "up" from among a wall caked with colonial tunicates.



Thanks for your help!

-Dana

[nwscubamom]

This LOOKS like part of an Aladdin's Lamp Tunicate, or Pyura mirabilis. The thing is, they have two siphons....this looks like the one I have in my book, but where's the other siphon?!? Anyway, that's the closest thing to it. I don't think it's part of a clam...

- Janna

[seekncritters]

Thanks for your help, Janna. I couldn't find any good photos of Pyura mirabilis (Aladdin's Lamp Tunicate) for comparison.

Hey, have you seen this site?
http://www.emeralddiving.com/id_ascidians.html
On this site, they show Molgula pacifica (Globular Ascidian). I wonder if the orange tunicate is Molgula pacifica? I think the second siphon is much shorter than the one sticking up (and it's hidden from view).

So many of the Alaska critters are new to me and it's fun to try and ID them.

Thanks,

Dana

[nwscubamom]

OOOH! I like that one a LOT better as a candidate!

Yes, that's my friend Keith Clement's website - he does great photography and critter ID.

I vote for that one!

- Janna

[seekncritters]

Yay, we have a winner!

I'd never used the term "ascidian" before. Do you folks in the Pacific NW use the term ascidians alot? I understand ascidians are a specific type of tunicate (a sub-set) that have a tough outer "tunic" whereas other tunicates have outer tunics that are not as rigid?

Just curious.

Thanks,

-Dana

[nwscubamom]

That sounds about right - seems that the ones that are called "blahblah ascidians" are ones that are hard - like Lobed Ascidian, Compound Ascidians, etc.

You come up with some good questions!

- Janna

[seekncritters]

You come up with some good questions!

I hope you like that, because I will have MORE (and more...) .

Great to have fellow critter-lovers on the board!

Thanks so much,

Dana