Green Barrel sea-squirt (species: Didemnum molle) in Green Island (Gaia Guide)
Green Island > Animalia > Chordata > Ascidiacea > Didemnidae > Didemnum > Didemnum molle (gallery)
Didemnum molle
Green Barrel sea-squirt


©Univ of Guelph students: Didemnum molle at Lizard Island

©Mark Shepherd: Didemnum molle at Lizard Island

©David Witherall and Jessica Nordstrom: Green Barrel sea-squirt (Didemnum molle), Ocean Free, Green Island

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Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Ascidiacea
Order Enterogona
Family Didemnidae
Genus Didemnum
Species Didemnum molle

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Colours

                   

Distinguishing features

Distinguishing features still need to be specified.

Size

  • From 1 cm to 10 cm (Height)

Synonyms

Interesting facts

  • This unassuming creature that is common on the reef produces sulfated mannose homopolysaccharide which is a compound that counters the effects of the infamous HIV disease.

Distribution


©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution

Local abundance

  • Lizard Island: Extremely common

Web resources

References

  • Bakus, G.J. (1981). Chemical defense mechanisms on the Great Barrier Reef, Science, 211: 497-499. LIRS catalog number 41.
  • Bishop, D.G., J.R. Kenrick, J.H. Bayston, A.S. Macpherson and S.R. Johns (1980). Monolayer properties of chloroplast lipids, Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, 602: 248-259. LIRS catalog number 44.
  • Cox, G. (1986). Comparison of Prochloron from different hosts, I. Structural and ultrastructural characteristics, New Phytol., 104: 429-445. LIRS catalog number 214.
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