Orange-tipped sea squirt (Corella eumyota)

Distribution data supplied by the Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS). To interrogate UK data visit the NBN Atlas.Map Help

Summary

Description

Corella eumyota is a solitary sea squirt, 2-4 cm long, that often attaches to conspecifics, forming aggregations that foul underlying substrata. Individuals attach primarily along their right side, giving them a recumbent orientation. The body wall is muscular but transparent and 3-4 irregular coils of spiral stigmata may be seen surrounding the pharynx. At least 40 pairs of longitudinal blood vessels are present on each side.

Recorded distribution in Britain and Ireland

Found along south coast of England at Brighton, Portsmouth and Weymouth and in harbours on the south west, south and east coasts of Ireland.

Global distribution

Also invasive in France (Brittany) and Spain (Galicia). Native of South circumpolar cold waters; South America, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica.

Habitat

Attached to hard substrates, such as cobbles, boulders, ship hulls and shells of mussels and oysters such as Ostrea edulis. Also grows on brown algae and other Corella eumyota.

Depth range

(Shallow)

Identifying features

  • Solitary but highly gregarious- often attached to each other.
  • Attached to substratum by right side, causing recumbent posture.
  • Musculature developed on both sides of body.
  • 2-4 cm long.
  • Transparent body.
  • 3-4 irregular coils of spiral stigmata.
  • 40 or more longitudinal blood vessels on each side of branchial sac.

Additional information

May be confused with Corella parallelogramma, which is more upright and has 6-7 regular coils of stigmata, or with Corella borealis, which is smaller, upright and has inconspicuous stigmata spirals and musculature. Neither of these congeners brood their larvae (Lambert, 2004).

Listed by

- none -

Further information sources

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Bibliography

    Datasets

    1. Centre for Environmental Data and Recording, 2018. IBIS Project Data. Occurrence dataset: https://www.nmni.com/CEDaR/CEDaR-Centre-for-Environmental-Data-and-Recording.aspx accessed via NBNAtlas.org on 2018-09-25.

    2. Centre for Environmental Data and Recording, 2018. Ulster Museum Marine Surveys of Northern Ireland Coastal Waters. Occurrence dataset https://www.nmni.com/CEDaR/CEDaR-Centre-for-Environmental-Data-and-Recording.aspx accessed via NBNAtlas.org on 2018-09-25.

    3. Environmental Records Information Centre North East, 2018. ERIC NE Combined dataset to 2017. Occurrence dataset: http://www.ericnortheast.org.ukl accessed via NBNAtlas.org on 2018-09-38

    4. Fenwick, 2018. Aphotomarine. Occurrence dataset http://www.aphotomarine.com/index.html Accessed via NBNAtlas.org on 2018-10-01

    5. Fife Nature Records Centre, 2018. St Andrews BioBlitz 2016. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/146yiz accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-09-27.

    6. Kent Wildlife Trust, 2018. Biological survey of the intertidal chalk reefs between Folkestone Warren and Kingsdown, Kent 2009-2011. Occurrence dataset: https://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/ accessed via NBNAtlas.org on 2018-10-01.

    7. Kent Wildlife Trust, 2018. Kent Wildlife Trust Shoresearch Intertidal Survey 2004 onwards. Occurrence dataset: https://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/ accessed via NBNAtlas.org on 2018-10-01.

    8. National Trust, 2017. National Trust Species Records. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/opc6g1 accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-01.

    9. NBN (National Biodiversity Network) Atlas. Available from: https://www.nbnatlas.org.

    10. OBIS (Ocean Biodiversity Information System),  2025. Global map of species distribution using gridded data. Available from: Ocean Biogeographic Information System. www.iobis.org. Accessed: 2025-07-12

    11. West Wales Biodiversity Information Centre, 2018. INNS Data: All Taxa (West Wales). Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/ydifzd accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-02.

    Citation

    This review can be cited as:

    Bilewitch, J. 2009. Corella eumyota Orange-tipped sea squirt. In Tyler-Walters H. and Hiscock K. Marine Life Information Network: Biology and Sensitivity Key Information Reviews, [on-line]. Plymouth: Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. [cited 12-07-2025]. Available from: https://www.marlin.ac.uk/species/detail/2224

    Last Updated: 28/07/2009