ID this and I'll be impressed (and grateful)

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ID this and I'll be impressed (and grateful)

Postby The Escaped Ape » January 9th, 2011, 8:41 am

It came attached to one of my pieces of maricultured Okinawan rock. It hasn't moved since I first noticed it and is hard to to the touch, but has a slime coating. I've not noticed it getting noticeably larger, but it might have done slightly. I had taken the piece of rock out to remove some Dictyota (you can see some in the shot, I stopped halfway through my scraping off of Dictyota to take the photo), so this shot was taken out of water.

Any ideas? :)

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Re: ID this and I'll be impressed (and grateful)

Postby The Escaped Ape » January 9th, 2011, 9:47 am

I've been told they are colonial tunicates. Pretty cool.
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Re: ID this and I'll be impressed (and grateful)

Postby wings » January 9th, 2011, 3:20 pm

Are you sure its not a chiton of sorts?
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Re: ID this and I'll be impressed (and grateful)

Postby Lawdawg » January 9th, 2011, 3:50 pm

Cool, whatever it is 8)
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Re: ID this and I'll be impressed (and grateful)

Postby dupaboy1992 » January 11th, 2011, 3:08 am

I would like to say chiton too, but their shell is almost always symmetrical. This is very unusual animal for sure.
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Re: ID this and I'll be impressed (and grateful)

Postby ANEMONEBUFF » January 11th, 2011, 12:45 pm

I would say flatworm if it moves.
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Re: ID this and I'll be impressed (and grateful)

Postby Matt_ » January 11th, 2011, 5:12 pm

Chitons invariably have 8 shell plates. It is not a chiton.

I'd say colonial tunicate too based on the photo and description. Can you get a shot of it underwater?
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Re: ID this and I'll be impressed (and grateful)

Postby Checker » January 11th, 2011, 9:15 pm

does it have siphon holes? can you see it move (breath)?
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Re: ID this and I'll be impressed (and grateful)

Postby The Escaped Ape » January 12th, 2011, 7:03 am

Matt_ wrote:Chitons invariably have 8 shell plates. It is not a chiton.

I'd say colonial tunicate too based on the photo and description. Can you get a shot of it underwater?


Yeah, it's not moved from exactly the same position on the rock for 6 months now, so it's not a chiton or flatworm.

I'll try and get an underwater shot this weekend when I have a go at the Dictyota on the left hand side of the tank.

GreshamH wrote:does it have siphon holes? can you see it move (breath)?


No siphon holes that I see. No sign of breathing either. But it's an awkward position to view most of the time so it's possible I've missed stuff.
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