Cnemidocarpa verrucosa (Lesson, 1830)

Description

Cnemidocarpa verrucosa is probably the most common ascidian (sea squirt) in shallow waters and is fairly featureless – essentially resembling a translucent bag. It varies in colour from brown, through yellow to white and translucent. This species can be highly abundant and can dominate patches many metres in size. It is one of the best known of the Antarctic ascidians. It feeds during summer months and (like most of the benthos) has strongly seasonal reproduction, but unusually larvae are released in winter. Being almost just a ‘bag’ it has very low metabolic rates, even for Antarctic animals