Pyura stolonifera, (Heller, 1878)
Pyura stolonifera, commonly known in South Africa as "red bait" (or "rooiaas" in Afrikaans), is a sessile ascidian, or sea squirt, that lives in coastal waters attached to rocks or artificial structures. Sea squirts are named for their habit of squirting a stream of water from their exhalant siphons when touched at low tide.
Pyura stolonifera is a large solitary ascidian that can grow to over 15 cm in height.
A thick pale outer tunic with a wrinkled brown surface
Large inhalant and exhalant siphons with slightly scalloped edges
A body often covered with encrusting organisms
This species is found in coastal areas of the cool-temperate and warm-temperate marine bioregions of southern Africa, from Namibia on the west coast to south-eastern South Africa. It is absent from the region's subtropical and tropical bioregions.
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