Is this tunicate Corella willmeriana? Resurrection Bay, AK

[seekncritters]

I think this tunicate could be Corella willmeriana. Do you agree? Is there a common name for this tunicate? Found at south end of Humpy Cove, Resurrection Bay, Alaska, approximately 30 ft. Maybe a little over an inch long(?).



Thank you!

-Dana

[nwscubamom]

I would say yes, that looks pretty much like it. The other common one is Corella inflata, but it's usually found shallower and in a large grouping (especially under docks). It's a pretty safe bet that you've got willmeriana there. I don't know of a common name for it....you could just call it WILLLLLLLMAAAAAAAA!!!!! (old flintstones reference)

- Janna

[seekncritters]

Too funny..... Willllmaaaaaaa! Thanks Janna!

In this Wilma photo, there are a couple of little skeleton shrimp. Pretty cool. And along the top edge of the larger siphon it looks like there's something that has the texture of eggs. I have no idea how these critters reproduce. That couldn't be eggs, could it? Oh, and I read that the Spotted Flatworm (that you helped me ID) eats these tunicates. Pretty cool!

-Dana

[nwscubamom]

The skeleton shrimp love to munch on the stuff that's on the tunicates if I recall. Here's a different type of tunicate (an invasive one) loaded with the little dudes:


If they're eggs (and they very well might be) - they don't belong to Wilma. Wilma reproduces by spewing out gametes into the water column hoping that some other lucky tunicate's gametes will mix and create a bunch of little larvae - that have backbones like you and I, called notochords. Eventually they grow a bit more, find a nice rock to settle on, turn into a blob and lose their backbone.

Not unlike a lot of people I know.

- Janna

[seekncritters]

Eventually they grow a bit more, find a nice rock to settle on, turn into a blob and lose their backbone.

Not unlike a lot of people I know.

Teehee!!!

Cool capture of the skeleton shrimp dinner party being held on a tunicate!

Thanks for the info about Wilma reproduction and about the backbone (and loss thereof) in the tunicate life cycle.

Fun stuff!

-Dana