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Ecteinascidia turbinata
This is a colonial sea squirt composed of zooids connected by a series of stolons at the base of the colony. These stolons also serve as anchor points between the colony and the substrate. Each zooid is surrounded by a tunic that has an orange hole called a siphon (through which the water circulates). Its pigmentation is due to carotenoids located in this area; other parts of the tunic have carotenoids that give them a white, practically hyaline color. Although, depending on the geographical situation, we find species of Ecteinascidia turbinata with zooids of yellow, orange or pink colors.
Attached to algae on the sandy bottom of the coastal salty lagoon of the Mar Menor (Murcia)
There is an antitumor drug originally derived from the sea squirt Ecteinascidia turbinata and is currently being produced synthetically. The drug exerts its activity in tumor cells through its interaction with the transcription complex and by blocking DNA repair. It is used to treat soft tissue sarcoma and recurrent ovarian cancer.
Spotted on Aug 28, 2022
Submitted on Aug 28, 2022
2 Comments
Thanks Sukanyadatta. They are making a few days of very hot and with little wind, this favors that the water is transparent.
The clarity of the underwater shots is unbelievable!