About Pyura spinifera (Quoy & Gaimard, 1834)
Pyura spinifera, commonly known as the sea tulip, is a species of sessile ascidian. It inhabits coastal waters at depths reaching up to 80 meters (260 feet). Like nearly all other ascidians, sea tulips are filter feeders. The species gets its common name from its appearance: a knobbly bulb, shaped like a flower, attached to a long stalk. Sea tulips display a range of colors, including white, pink, yellow, orange, and purple. Their exact coloration depends on the symbiotic sponge that grows and covers their outer surface.
