Molgula

Molgula
Molgula oculata; a) branchial orifice; b) atrial orifice
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Tunicata
Class: Ascidiacea
Order: Stolidobranchia
Family: Molgulidae
Genus: Molgula
Synonyms
  • 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. Molgula are a genus of the class ascidians, having many species sized from 20–50 mm and that has a life cycle with a tailed tadpole stage or without a tailed tadpole stage. Molgula are sessile invertebrates that grows on substrates and are always found existing alone. There are over one hundred species of molgulids with a vast majority of them in the Northern and Southern parts of the world with a few along the equator. All species of Molgula are suspension feeders and will have the highest population in areas with high amounts of small particles to feed on.