Ascidia

/æsˈsɪdiə/ noun

Definition

Small sac-like marine animals, also known as sea squirts, that filter feed by drawing water through their bodies.

Etymology

From Latin 'ascidium' (small bag or bladder), derived from Greek 'askos' (wineskin), named for their characteristic pouch-like appearance.

Kelly Says

Sea squirts are biological shapeshifters—they have a free-swimming larval form that looks almost fishlike, but when they settle on rocks, they lose their brain and most of their body parts, transforming into a simple filter-feeding tube!

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