Hairy Sea Squirt - Ascidiella scabra

Characteristics:

This is a solitary sea squirt with a body diameter of less than 5 cm. The color is grey or white, often with red pigments on the inside, shining through the semitransparent body wall. The animal is attached at the base as well as along one side of the body. It often grows a large number of fibrils, giving it a hairy appearance. The fibrils seem to help the animal staying attached to algae, bryozoans or other ascidians. The two small siphons are marked with cream or red colored stripes.

Habitat:

It is attached to hard substrates or sometimes algae, from the subtidal zone and down to 300 metres depth.

Distribution:

It is registered from Norway to the Mediterranean.