About Pyura praeputialis (Heller, 1878)
Pyura praeputialis is a species of tunicate that lives in intertidal zones and shallow water. It is one of three "cunjevoi" species found in Australasia; the other two cunjevoi species are the yellow cunjevoi P. dalbyi and the doppelganger cunjevoi P. doppelgangera. This is the first reported species of marine organism known to create "foam-nests" to hold its larvae. Pyura praeputialis is common along the coast of mainland Australia, with a range extending from southern Queensland to Cape Otway, Victoria. It is classified as a non-indigenous species in Antofagasta, Chile. This species acts as an ecosystem engineer, and can drastically alter habitats by overgrowing other sessile marine invertebrates. This trait means it is likely to become a problematic species when it is introduced to new habitats. However, it can also have positive impacts: it provides shelter for hunted juvenile animals, offers protection from desiccation, supports beneficial interactions between different organisms, and enables the coexistence of multiple other species.
