The Social Fan Ascidian, Sycozoa arborescens, is a colonial tunicate known for its striking, branching structure and intriguing social behavior. These organisms are a fascinating example of the diversity and complexity found within the marine ecosystem.
Description & Characteristics
Sycozoa arborescens colonies are characterized by their branching, tree-like form. Individuals within the colony are interconnected, forming a network of interconnected zooids. This network allows for efficient communication and resource sharing, contributing to their social nature. The colony can reach substantial sizes, with the individual zooids typically measuring up to 2 centimeters in length.
Habitat and Occurrence
Sycozoa arborescens thrives in the temperate waters of the Pacific Ocean, inhabiting depths ranging from the intertidal zone to depths of over 100 meters. They are commonly found in rocky reefs, kelp forests, and other hard substrate environments. The distribution of Sycozoa arborescens coincides with various marine zones, including the neritic zone and the bathyal zone.
Taxonomy
Sycozoa arborescens belongs to the Class: Ascidiacea, Order: Aplousobranchia, and Family: Holozoidae. This classification places it within a diverse group of filter-feeding marine invertebrates known for their unique morphology and ecological roles.
Feeding
Sycozoa arborescens, like many other ascidians, are filter feeders. They obtain nutrients from their surrounding environment by drawing in water and filtering out microscopic food particles. Their diet includes a range of organic and inorganic substances, such as phytoplankton, zooplankton, copepods, amphipods, dissolved organic substances, and dissolved inorganic substances, including sodium chloride, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and inorganic phosphorus.
Sycozoa arborescens, being azooxanthellate and nonphotosynthetic, relies solely on filter feeding for its nutritional needs. These organisms are an essential part of the marine food web, contributing to the flow of energy and nutrients within the ecosystem.
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