Ascidia mentula is a solitary ascidian of about 5 to 18 cm in length, occasionnaly up
to 30 cm.
The test is smooth, cartilaginous and thick and it is generally pink. The body is ovoid and is
attached to the substratum by the left side. The oral siphon is broad, terminal, eight-lobed and may have
eight white markings. The atrial siphon is one-half of body length from the oral siphon.
The pink sea-squirt lives attached to rocks, wrecks or shells. This species has a rather long lifespan, some
of them living up to 7 years old.
It is found from 5 m to depths of 200 m in the Atlantic Ocean from Norway to the Mediterranean Sea, in the North Sea
and the English Channel.
(source : European Register of Marine Species)
Test : or tunic: thick layer secreted by the mantel containing cellulose and protecting the animal.
Oral siphon : Opening by which water is drawn in the ascidian.
Atrial siphon : Opening through which water is expelled.
Ascidia mentula
Young specimen
Ascidia mentula
Close view
Ascidia mentula
Group
Top photograph :
© Wilfried Bay-Nouailhat. Published with author's kind permission :
Ascidia mentula,
Iles Glénan, South Brittany, West of France. Depth 14 meters.
Bottom photographs : © Wilfried Bay-Nouailhat. Published with author's kind permission :
Ascidia mentula, Young specimen. Rade de Brest, West Brittany, West of France. Depth 4 meters.
© Wilfried Bay-Nouailhat. Published with author's kind permission :
Ascidia mentula, Close view. Baie de Lannion, North Brittany, West of France. Depth 10 meters.
© Wilfried Bay-Nouailhat. Published with author's kind permission :
Ascidia mentula, Group. Anse de Camaret, West Brittany, West of France. Depth 12 meters.
Text : Anne Bay-Nouailhat © 2005-2009.
Translation : Anne Bay-Nouailhat © 2007-2009.
