The Pin-head Squirt, Midget Seasquirt – Pycnoclavella nana is a small, solitary tunicate belonging to the family Clavelinidae. This species is notable for its diminutive size and its preference for specific marine habitats.
Description & Characteristics
The Pycnoclavella nana is a small, solitary tunicate that can reach a maximum size of around 1 cm in length. It has a distinctive, cylindrical body shape with a prominent oral siphon at one end and an atrial siphon at the other. Its body is typically translucent, allowing for a clear view of its internal organs. The Pycnoclavella nana can be distinguished from similar species by its small size and the lack of any prominent ridges or bumps on its body.
Habitat and Occurrence
The Pycnoclavella nana is a marine species that is commonly found in shallow, coastal waters. It prefers habitats with a high abundance of algae and other marine organisms. The Pin-head Squirt, Midget Seasquirt is typically found in the intertidal zone and subtidal zone, often attached to rocks, seaweeds, and other marine substrates. This species is known to occur in a variety of marine zones, including the neritic zone, which is the area of the ocean that extends from the shoreline to the edge of the continental shelf.
Taxonomy
The species Pycnoclavella nana belongs to the Class: Ascidiacea, Order: Aplousobranchia, and Family: Clavelinidae. This classification places it within a diverse group of marine invertebrates that are characterized by their sac-like bodies and filter-feeding lifestyle.
Feeding
The Pycnoclavella nana is a filter feeder that obtains its food from plankton, small organisms that drift in the water column. It uses its oral siphon to draw water into its body, where it traps the plankton using a sticky mucous net. Once the plankton is trapped, it is transported to the digestive system, where it is broken down and absorbed.
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