Ascidia virginea

Steffen Eidem From todays dive, 3 different color variations of Ascidia Virginea. I've actually gone all the way and named the photo this time; Tricolor

Michael Sterken well, in my book you get one star for this photo. :)

Steffen Eidem Thank you very much Michael =)

Ernst Andres (Y) 4 me....TOP SHOT :-)

Steffen Eidem Thanks alot Ernst =)

Ernst Andres You´re welcome Steffen :-)

Antonio Colacino Top shot for me too :)

Steffen Eidem Thanks alot everyone, fun to get such feedback from you=)

Anne Bignall Could anyone tell me what this is? Assuming it's a squirt.

Anne Bignall sorry the photo's not very helpful

Erling Svensen I think Ascidia virginea........

Anne Bignall Thanks Erling.

Wendy Northway try again - Can anyone help - my squirt knowledge is very low. Found in Loch Long in the 15 - 20m range

Frances Dipper I used to see loads of Ascidia virginea in Hebrideam sea lochs and think this is it but see what others say.

Darryl Mayer I'd agree with the above, Wendy. West coast lochs have these all around.

Wendy Northway thanks - I was going down that route, but was unsure as it is described as pale pink whereas these specimens were quite a vibrant pink. Thanks very much

Tony Gilbert Yes, completely agree. Loch Long is a great place eh Wendy.

Wendy Northway @Tony - Scotland does it for me, full stop!

Tony Gilbert Iam with you on that one Wendy! The sea lochs totally intrigue me. Firework anemones are wonderful to see Pachycerianthus multiplicatus, some can be 1m across and almost as high. In Loch Nevis/Hourn there is a field of them. We spotted a couple in Loch Long (west of Tighness) in June, but they start at 25m. And, Phosphorescent sea pens, Pennatula sp. they start at 30m, we got those in Loch Bonawe, and you get Nephrops with Fries gobies. I particularly like Psolus phantapus, they are rare, but we had about 4 in Loch Creran this year. I could do with more time to get up there, its 4.5hrs to Loch Long/Finnart from where we both are, so have to be content with local sites like Anglesey. But, heh, that's great as well. 3 weeks ago, I got a C. verrucosa on the Cable, last weekend, the vis. was nil, so didn't dive the Straits, and went to Vivian. Heh, and guess what, there are masses of freshwater hydroids still there, and I found a small shell, about 0.5mm across, so chuffed with that.

Darryl Mayer Loch Bonawe? Where's that one, Tony? As for Psolus phantapus, they are extremely widespread. Loch Etive (lovely nursery field of them on the south 80m wall), Loch Sunart, Loch Duich, Loch Creran (as you Happy to take you to see them anytime you're up in Bonny Scotland (as Wendy can attest to). Oh, I can show you Phosphorea sp. in only 10m if you like? And fields of Fireworks anemones starting at only 15m too (Loch Duich).

Tony Gilbert Sounds great, I guess it depends on the Loch, location and compostion.But, I meant that animals like P. phantapus, maybe locally widespread, but still rare in say NW Europe. Firework anemones we found scores, a field of them also. There are so many lochs to choose and dive; I've done a little of Sunart from boat, but Duich is still on my list.

Wendy Northway recommend Duich Tony - 8 hours from here but as Darryl says, the field was plentiful, also tall seaa pens to boot!

Darryl Mayer ...and John Dory juveniles... ;-)

Wendy Northway JD juveniles? Bring them on!

Darryl Mayer In only 12m, at the Ratagan YH (nearby) site where all three Scottish seapens also can be found in the same depth. Actually it's a decent training site too ;-) I'm planning on being there for a week in May. You coming?

Wendy Northway I think I might be! Will mp you!

James Lynott Lots of squirts to be found in Loch Long last night. This photo was taken at about 20m and contains a number of different species. I hope I am right with the IDs of Ascidia virginea, Ascidia mentula, Corella parallelogramma, Ciona intestinalis, Polycarpa pomaria, and possibly Ascidiella scabra? I'm not sure of the cream coloured one to the right of the A. mentula either.

David Kipling Gosh, what a mix! I'd agree with you as far as I can see. The aspersa//scabra distinction is still one that's difficult for me (although I gather this has been a discussion for decades!) and there may actually be something of a species complex here if you talk to Bernard. Apparently there's a big difference in the number of guard hairs (so start looking down siphons if you can do that without them closing!) and also the eggs of one but not the other species float (yeah, right ...).