ASCIDIACEA Nielsen, 1995
(ascidians, sea-squirts)

Subtaxon Example images Rank Featured
subtaxa
No of
images
No of
ID refs
 (Click to open)
Order 11 subtaxa 147 images 4 ident. refs
 (Click to open)
Order 7 subtaxa 98 images 5 ident. refs
 (Click to open)
Unidentified 31 images
Taxonomic hierarchy:
ClassASCIDIACEA (ascidians, sea-squirts)
SubphylumTUNICATA (ascidians, sea-squirts, tunicates)
PhylumCHORDATA (vertebrates)
SuperphylumDEUTEROSTOMIA (deuterostomes)
CladeBilateria (bilaterally symmetrical animals)
SubkingdomEUMETAZOA (metazoans)
KingdomANIMALIA (animals)
DomainEukaryota (eukaryotes)
LifeBIOTA (living things)

Identification Works

AuthorYearTitleSource
Alder, J. & Hancock, A. (Hopkinson J. (Ed.)) 1905 *** The British Tunicata; an unfinished monograph, by the late Joshua Alder and the late Albany Hancock ***(Superseded) Vol 83, 86 & 93, 146+164+113 (+66 colour plates)pp, The Ray Society, London
Gittenberger, A. The Dutch Ascidians www.ascidians.com
Goff, T., le Biodiversity des algues marines et de la fauna marine des cotes francaises: Manche et Atlantique www.marevita.org/index.php?option=accueil
Gregory, J. British Marine Life Pictures www.britishmarinelifepictures.co.uk/gallery.html
() Millar, R.H. 1970 British Ascidians Synopses of the British Fauna (New Series), 1, 88pp, The Linnean Society of London

Technique

Stefeniak, L. & Gittenberger, A. Panama - Bocas del Toro www.ascidians.com/localities/bocasdeltoro.htm

ASCIDIACEA (ascidians, sea-squirts) may also be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:

NBNNBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for ASCIDIACEA (ascidians, sea-squirts)
BioInfoBioInfo (www.bioinfo.org.uk) has 13 host/parasite/foodplant and/or other relationships for ASCIDIACEA (ascidians, sea-squirts)

Certain identification generally requires dissection followed by microscopic examination of internal features after removing the outer coat (test).

For the larger species this is often most easily accomplished with a pair of fine-pointed scissors inserted through the oral siphon; cutting with a scalpel invariably slices through the gut and gonads as well. This should be done relatively soon after collection, since, although they survive for several days in a refridgerator, once the gut is empty it is much less visible.

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