What are club tunicates?

Photo by Simon Geerlofs

What’s in a name? The word “tunicate” is derived from their tough outer skin or “tunic.” Club tunicates are so named because they resemble a wooden club. Their scientific name is Styela clava.

Club tunicates are solitary animals and prefer relatively shallow water in protected bays and inlets with good water flow. They attach to artificial substrates such as boat hulls, marina floats and other in water structures. They can grow to nearly 8 inches in length.

Tunicates reproduce throughout most of the year as long as the water temperature is above 60 degrees F or 15 degrees C, they reproduce rapidly, forming dense communities.