Glénan Archipelago, France, 9 meters, 2011, WBN
Camaret, France, 10 meters, 2011, WBN
Camaret, France, 20 meters, 2011, WBN
Stolonica socialis is a colonial ascidian of 2 cm high. Up to 300 zooids can be closely connected through a basal stolon to compose a colony. Zooids are ovoid, the test is smooth and its color may vary from brown to yellow-orange. Siphons are terminal, prominent and small, the oral one being slightly larger than the atrial one. The colony is attached to rocks between 5 to 35 meters deep.
Stolonica socialis is found in the Atlantic Ocean from the British coasts to Brittany and in the English Channel.
Source : World Register of Marine Species
Biota (Monde)
Animalia (Règne)
Chordata (Embranchement)
Tunicata (Sous-embranchement)
Ascidiacea (Classe)
Stolidobranchia (Ordre)
Styelidae (Famille)
Stolonica (Genre)
Stolonica socialis (Espèce)
Zooid : individual, single animal.
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.
Text :Anne Bay-Nouailhat © 2005 - 2026.
Photos : © Wilfried Bay-Nouailhat. Published with his kind permission.
Image satellite: © Esri, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye, Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, AeroGRID, IGN, and the GIS User Community.
Données de distribution : Stolonica socialis Hartmeyer, 1903 in GBIF Secretariat (2019). GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Checklist dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/39omei accessed via GBIF.org on 2026-07-19.
Source : World Register of Marine Species
Biota (Monde)
Animalia (Règne)
Chordata (Embranchement)
Tunicata (Sous-embranchement)
Ascidiacea (Classe)
Stolidobranchia (Ordre)
Styelidae (Famille)
Stolonica (Genre)
Stolonica socialis (Espèce)
Zooid : individual, single animal.
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.
Text : Anne Bay-Nouailhat © 2005 - 2026.
Photos : © Wilfried Bay-Nouailhat. Published with his kind permission.
Bay-Nouailhat A., January 2005, Description de Stolonica socialis, [En ligne] https://www.mer-littoral.org/uk/32/stolonica-socialis.php, consultée le 19 juillet 2026.
Author
Chargée d’études en environnement marin
Plongeuse professionnelle - Naturaliste
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