# Chain Tunicate (*botrylloides violaceus*) The Chain Tunicate is a fascinating sea creature that looks like a colorful blob! It can form large colonies, making it a fun sight to see in the ocean. - **Category:** [Invertebrate](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/invertebrate) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Chain Tunicates live in marine environments, often attached to rocks and other surfaces in shallow waters. - **Also known as:** Colonial Tunicate, Sea Blob, Sea Squirt ![Chain Tunicate](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Botrylloides_violaceus_2.jpg&width=800) Photo: Frédéric André, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Botrylloides_violaceus_2.jpg) ## Appearance The Chain Tunicate is a small, colonial invertebrate forming thin, sheet-like encrustations on surfaces. It often displays vibrant colors like purple, orange, or green, with individual zooids arranged in star or chain-like patterns connected by a common vascular system. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Ascidiacea - **Order:** Stolidobranchia - **Family:** Styelidae - **Genus:** Botrylloides ## Interesting facts - A single Chain Tunicate colony can contain thousands of tiny individual animals! - Chain Tunicates have no brain or heart, yet they thrive in the ocean! - These creatures can amazingly filter gallons of water every single day! - They are invasive species, spreading rapidly across new ocean territories! ## Special abilities - **Self-Repair System:** Chain Tunicate can heal damaged parts of its colony because of amazing regenerative cells that help them survive injuries. - **Master Reproducer:** Chain Tunicate can reproduce both sexually and asexually by budding, which helps them spread rapidly and colonize new areas. - **Adhesive Power:** Chain Tunicate has a strong adhesive property that helps them securely attach to various underwater surfaces, even smooth ones. ## Measurements & details - **Lifespan:** 2 years - **Maximum Depth:** 10 m - **Colony Size:** 15 cm - **Zooid Length:** 3 mm ## Diet & Feeding These ocean critters feast on tiny floating particles by filtering seawater through their bodies. - **Primary Foods:** phytoplankton, zooplankton, bacteria, detritus - **Foraging Method:** Filter feeding ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** California Gastropod (*Triopha catalinae*) — This sea slug sometimes grazes on tunicate colonies as a food source. - **Eats:** [European Green Crab](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-green-crab) (*Carcinus maenas*) — These invasive crabs are known to consume tunicates from various surfaces. - **Eats:** Cunner (*Tautogolabrus adspersus*) — This small fish forages on rocky substrates, sometimes consuming tunicates. ## Traits - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Filter Feeder](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/filter-feeder): Filter feeders obtain nutrients by straining suspended food particles and small organisms from water. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. - [Marine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/marine): Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life. ## Collections - [Invertebrates](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/invertebrates) ## Safety **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger No special safety notes yet. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Chain Tunicate? Look for fins, arms, tentacles, shells and body symmetry. Underwater light shifts colors, so structure and markings usually matter more than shade. Sea Creature Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long does Chain Tunicate live? 2 years ### What does Chain Tunicate eat? These ocean critters feast on tiny floating particles by filtering seawater through their bodies. ### Where is Chain Tunicate usually found? Chain Tunicates live in marine environments, often attached to rocks and other surfaces in shallow waters. ### How does Chain Tunicate hunt? Filter feeding ### How deep can Chain Tunicate go? 10 m ### How large are Chain Tunicate colonies? 15 cm ### What is the zooid Length of Chain Tunicate? 3 mm ## Where to spot - [Fuller Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fuller-gardens) — New Hampshire, US · Botanical Garden - [Myrtle Edwards Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/myrtle-edwards-park) — Washington, US · Park ## More Invertebrate - [Coral](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coral) - [Crab Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/crab-spider) (*Mecaphesa asperata*) - [Garden Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-spider) (*Araneus diadematus*) - [Brown Recluse Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-recluse-spider) (*Loxosceles reclusa*) --- Source: [Chain Tunicate: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/chain-tunicate)