ascidians text index
Phylum Chordata | Subphylum Tunicata/Urochordata | Class Ascidiacea
Photo index of ascidians on Singapore shores


Thumbs-up sea squirt
Polycarpa
sp.

Jelly sea squirt
Ascidia gemmata

Green gum drops
ascidians

awaiting identification

Bubble ascidians
awaiting identification
3-5cm long, with two 'fingers', white with orange or red stripes.On large boulders, jetty pilings. Commonly seen on our Northern shores. 2-3cm, translucent blob stuck under stones with fine red bars at one opening. Sometimes seen on our Northern shores. Each blob about 1cm across. Clusters of blobs on boulders and larger rocks, usually near base and under overhands. Also on jetty pilings. Commonly seen on our Northern shores. Each blob about 1cm long. In clusters on seagrass blades or on coral rubble. Commonly seen on our Southern shores. Each bubble about 1-3cm, translucent with two openings, in clusters under and on rocks on some of our shores.


Orange ascidian
Family Styelidae

White ascidian
awaiting identification

Pink ascidian
awaiting identification

Blob ascidian
awaiting identification

Brain ascidian
awaiting identification
5-10cm. Slimy layers on rubble and big boulders. Sometimes seen on our Northern shores. 2-5cm. On coral rubble and seagrasses and seaweeds. Sometimes seen on some of our shores. 1-2cm sometimes larger. Blobs on coral rubble and jetty pilings. Sometimes seen on some of our shores. 5-10cm. Rubbery blobs on hard surfaces and stones. Black, red, yellow, brown and beige. Sometimes seen on some of our shores. 10-15cm. Rubbery blobs on hard surfaces and stones. Beige with shades of pale blue or green. Seen on some of our Southern shores.


Orange-spotted ascidian
awaiting identification

Rock slime ascidian
awaiting identification

Beige sheet ascidian
Didemnum psammatodes
   
5-8cm. Rubbery blobs found near seagrasses. Dark blue background with bright orange spots. Sometimes seen on some of our shores. 5-15cm in diameter. Irregular rubbery layer with many small holes and a few large holes. Sometimes seen on some of our shores. 5-10cm in diameter. Irregular rubbery layer with many tiny spots. Common on our Northern shores.    

Ascidian species are difficult to positively identify without dissection and examination of internal parts. On this website, they are grouped by external features for convenience of display

These are NOT ascidians

Blue spatula
sponge

Phylum Porifera

Smooth blue
sponge

Phylum Porifera

Prickly
encrusting sponge

Phylum Porifera

Zoanthids
Order Zoanthidae
      It is a seaweed. They are a cnidarians and look like blobs or rubber mats with their tentacles retracted.

how to tell apart blob-like lifeforms
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