Common Name: Red Flask Ascidian

Distribution: Common in the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Distributed throughout tropical and sub-tropical waters of the Indo-West Pacific region. In Australia recorded from coastal waters throughout Queensland and northern New South Wales and Bass Strait.

Ecological Notes: Specimen pictured on rocky reef, turbid water, depth 6 m.

Additional Notes: A solitary ascidian attached firmly to the substrate. The soft body is brittle, with sand incorporated into the tissues, and is generally covered with other sessile organisms. Individual zooids are reddish and bladder-shaped, with inhalent and exhalent siphons at opposite ends. The zooids measure from 2 to 4 cms in height, and are often closely packed together.

References: Palomares, M.L.D. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2018. SeaLifeBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.sealifebase.org, version (10/2018).https://www.sealifebase.ca/summary/Polycarpa-procera.html. Accessed 14/09/2022.

Atlas of Living Australia website at https://bie.ala.org.au/search?q=Polycarpa+procera. Accessed 14/09/2022.

Encyclopedia of Life website at https://eol.org/pages/46585219. Accessed 14/09/2022