Molgula

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Molgula
Molgula oculata; a) branchial orifice; b) atrial orifice
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Tunicata
Class: Ascidiacea
Order: Stolidobranchia
Family: Molgulidae
Genus: Molgula
Synonyms[1]
  • Anurella Lacaze-Duthiers, 1877
  • Ascopera Herdman, 1881
  • Astropera Pizon, 1898
  • Caesira Flemming, 1822
  • Ctenicella Lacaze-Duthiers, 1877
  • Cystingia Macleay, 1825
  • Eugyriopsis Roule, 1885
  • Euritteria Huntsman, 1922
  • Gymnocystis Giard, 1872
  • Lithonephria Giard, 1872 (misspelling)
  • Lithonephrya Giard, 1872
  • Meristocarpus Pizon, 1899
  • Mogula Kirkpatrick, 1905 (misspelling)
  • Molgulidium Seeliger, 1907
  • Molgulina Hartmeyer, 1914
  • Pera Stimpson, 1852
  • Syphonotethis Gervais, 1840
  • Xenomolgula Arnback, 1931

Molgula, or sea grapes, are very common, globular, individual marine tunicates roughly the size of grapes.[1]

They are translucent with two protruding siphons. They are found subtidally, attached to slow-moving submerged objects or organisms. All species of Molgula have a fluid-filled structure called the renal sac.[2] The renal sac contains nitrogenous wastes, solid concretions composed of weddellite and calcite,[3] and an apicomplexan symbiont called Nephromyces.[4]

In the western Atlantic Ocean, they range from the Arctic to North Carolina, to the center of the United States Eastern Seaboard.[5]

Species[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Sanamyan, K.; Monniot, C. (2012). Molgula Forbes, 1848. In: Noa Shenkar, Arjan Gittenberger, Gretchen Lambert, Marc Rius, Rosana Moreira Da Rocha, Billie J. Swalla, Xavier Turon (2012) Ascidiacea World Database. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=103509 on 2012-02-26
  2. ^ Van Name, Willard Gibbs (1945). "The North and South American ascidians". Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 84. hdl:2246/1186.
  3. ^ Saffo, Mary Beth; Lowenstam, Heinz A. (1978-06-09). "Calcareous Deposits in the Renal Sac of a Molgulid Tunicate". Science. 200 (4346): 1166–1168. doi:10.1126/science.200.4346.1166. ISSN 0036-8075. PMID 17745108. S2CID 33253067.
  4. ^ "Malaria, Sea Grapes, and Kidney Stones: A Tale of Parasites Lost - The Loom". The Loom. 2010-08-24. Retrieved 2017-08-02.
  5. ^ Andrew J. Martinez (2003). Marine Life of the North Atlantic: Canada to New England. Aqua Quest Publications. ISBN 9781881652328. Retrieved 2007-02-17.

Further reading[edit]

  • Howson, C. M.; Picton, B. E. (Ed.) (1997). The species directory of the marine fauna and flora of the British Isles and surrounding seas. Ulster Museum Publication, 276. The Ulster Museum: Belfast, UK. ISBN 0-948150-06-8. vi, 508 (+ cd-rom) pp.
  • Monniot, C. (2001). Ascidiacea & Sorberacea, in: Costello, M. J. et al. (Ed.) (2001). European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels, 50: pp. 352–355
  • Sanamyan, K. (2007). Database of extant Ascidiacea. Version of 2 November 2007
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