What On Earth is a Sea Squirt?!

What On Earth is a Sea Squirt?!

Written by Leisure Pro Staff
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Published on January 7, 2012

Tunicates, more popularly known as sea squirts, are some of the ocean’s most exquisite organisms. So named because of their respiratory behavior, sea squirts are filter feeders, extracting nutrients from the surrounding water column and squirting out waste. The scientific name tunicate derives from their tubular forms, resembling a tunic and doing as much to protect the organism’s delicate organs and functions. While some sea squirts are sessile beings, attaching themselves to rocks and other hard materials, there are a variety of tunicates that are pelagic swimmers. Similar to corals, sea squirts form colonies, and in some places are an invasive pest due to their ability to colonize rapidly and choke out native species in competition for food and resources. Here are some examples of this odd but beautiful marine creature.

Leisure Pro Staff

Leisure Pro Staff

Marketing Director for LeisurePro