Boltenia villosa

Spiny-headed tunicate:

Spiny-headed tunicate (Boltenia villosa): A consensus common name for this species seems to be "hairy tunicate," but it isn't really any hairier than several other common species. But the name "Spiny-headed tunicate" used in O'Clair & O'Clair 1998 and other publications seems much more apt. The extended "peduncle" of the species, its reddish color, and the hairy "spines" of the globulous head make this tunicate a cute species in a Japanese cartoon sort of way, if there ever was a cute tunicate.

This species can be found at low tide, but is more easily found by inspecting colonies of tubeworms that grow on submerged man-made structures.

Local Notes

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References

Weblinks

• WoRMS page for Boltenia villosa

• WoRMS Page for Boltenia villosa
• Search Arctos Database for Boltenia villosa (Southeast only)
• Search Arctos Database for Boltenia villosa (entire database)
• Encyclopedia of Life search for Boltenia villosa
• iNaturalist Observations for Boltenia villosa in Southeast Alaska

Other References

• Lamb Hanby 2005
• O'Clair O'Clair 1998

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  Spiny-headed tunicate (Boltenia villosa)

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