Common Name: Red-mouthed Ascidian
Distribution: Common throughout the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Distributed throughout the Indo-Pacific region: Australia and Papua New Guinea. In Australia recorded from Port Hedland in Western Australia around the southern coastline to north Queensland, including Tasmania.
Ecological Notes: Reef, including rocky and silty conditions, depth to at least 100 m.
Additional Notes: A large solitary ascidian best recognised by the red line encircling the edges of the two siphons. The inhalent siphon faces horizontally and downwards, the exhalent siphon is upright. The large body is often tough and wrinkled, and may be covered with encrusting organisms, so that the siphons are the only part recognisable. Grows to 20 cm.
References: Graham J. Edgar. Australian Marine Life, 2nd Edition, 2008. Reed New Holland Publishers. p. 434.
Atlas of Living Australia website at https://bie.ala.org.au/search?q=Herdmania+grandis. Accessed 15/09/2022.
