Distaplia occidentalis

Phylum Chordata
Subphylum Urochordata
Class Ascidiacea
Order Enterogona
Suborder Aplonsobranchia
Family Clavelinidae
Genus Distaplia
Species occidenalis

Description: 3 to 6 cm wide; orange to yellowish individuals, sometimes gray, pink or purplish; forms large, thick, mushroom like, flat or pedunculate colonies made up of closely packed zooids; zooids arranged in circles, and share common excurrent opening.

Habitat: Can be found growing upon rocks, docks, pilings and floats, also on or over other sedentary invertebrates.

Natural History: This colonial ascidian reproduces sexually, with each zooid producing a few eggs which are fertilized and then held in the atrium until they develop into a tadpole.