Botryllus schlosseri

Golden star tunicate:

Golden star tunicate (Botryllus schlosseri): This invasive species is fairly common as a fouling organism on boat hulls, on mooring structures, and under docks. Any sighting in a remote setting, or further than half a mile from harbors, floathouses, and docks, should be reported as soon as convenient to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, 1-877-INVASIV.

This species can be identified thanks to the organization of its zooids into stars, or circles. each individual has one incurrent siphon, and those tend to be organized in circles.

The colonies are generally rather flat, with few lobes if any. The color varies from almost black to bright yellow. orange is the most common color. Colonies are generally not larger than a few square feet.

Local Notes

add location

References

Weblinks

• sflei.org page for Botryllus schlosseri

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

Other References

Add Observation of Botryllus schlosseri

Related Files

• 

  Golden star tunicate (Botryllus schlosseri)

Upload Related File