Botrylloides
Botrylloides is a genus of colonial tunicates in the family Styelidae. They are commonly called “sea squirts” or “sea mats”. These small, filter-feeding invertebrates form large, brightly colored colonies that are often found in shallow coastal waters worldwide.
Characteristics
Botrylloides colonies are composed of numerous individual zooids, each encased in a tough, gelatinous tunic. The zooids are connected by a network of stolons, which allow them to share nutrients and communicate with each other. The colonies can be various colors, including red, orange, yellow, green, and brown.
Each zooid in the colony is a small, sac-like structure with two siphons: an incurrent siphon and an excurrent siphon. The incurrent siphon draws water into the zooid, where it is filtered for food particles. The excurrent siphon then expels the filtered water.
Environments
Botrylloides species are found in a wide range of marine environments, including rocky shores, seagrass beds, and oyster reefs. They prefer environments with moderate water flow and are often found in areas with high levels of nutrients.
Reproduction
Botrylloides reproduce both sexually and asexually. Sexual reproduction involves the release of sperm and eggs into the water, where fertilization occurs. Asexual reproduction involves the budding of new zooids from existing zooids.
References
WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species
Botrylloides: a model organism to investigate developmental and regenerative processes