Compound tunicate; slab-like colony dense milky white, bluish, pale pink, lavender or pale orange, lacking embedded sand grains; 3-5 cm thick, often growing up into lobes. No zooids visible on surface of colony; microscopic discoid calcareous spicules in tunic; numerous mucus-filled bladder cells in tunic.

Common but seasonal (less apparent in winter); on rocks overgrowing other invertebrates & algae.

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Compound tunicate; colony flattened dome, opaque white with bright red zooids; 1-2 cm thick; no sand grains embedded in tunic, zooids not arranged in systems; zooids with only 3 rows of gill slits.

Moderately common, especially in low intertidal around roots of surf grass; in kelp forests, on rocks with other sessile invertebrates and algae.

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Compound tunicate; slab-like colony thick & firm with embedded sand grains; brown, purple, sometimes reddish orange. Systems of ~8 zooids with common cloacal opening at top of low mounds; zooids with 3 rows of gill slits.

Abundant (purple & brown color morphs in photo); on rocks with moderate to strong water motion.

Compound tunicate; slab-like colony somewhat gelatinous & glossy 1-2 cm thick, highly variable in color: white, orange, yellow or brownish. Zooids small (6 mm long) arranged in irregular oval systems. 

Common, on rocks interspersed with other  sessile invertebrates and red algae.

Compound tunicate; thick slab-like massive colony to 10 cm thick or more, glossy & firm, sometimes lobed; bright white. Zooids clearly visible arranged in irregular systems. 

Common in wave-exposed sites with stronger water motion.

Compound tunicate; slab-like colony 2-3 cm thick, tunic red with bright red zooids arranged in small irregular systems. Zooids average 12 mm long, but vary greatly.

Common, on rocks in kelp forest habitats.

Colonial tunicate; zooids to 2-5 cm tall but only 2-3 mm diameter; tunics of club-shaped zooids colorless & translucent, often encrusted with sand. 

Moderately common but inconspicuous, forms dense low-lying clusters mixed with other sessile inverts or grows in scattered groups among surf grass roots; low intertidal and subtidal on rocks.

Compound tunicate; colony a fleshy flattened lobe 10 cm tall attached by a stout fleshy stalk, olive green, tan or orange; zooids clearly visible in systems.  Commonly known as the elephant ear tunicate.

Common, on rocks in areas with moderate to strong water motion.

Compound tunicate; colony few to many lobes 4-8 cm tall; orange, often with sand embedded in tunic; zooids in systems of ~12 around common cloacal pores located on bumps at distal ends of lobes.

Common, on rocks in areas with moderate to strong water motion, also in low intertidal among roots of surf grass.

Compound tunicate; colonies in short densely- packed lobes 1-2 cm across; orange.  Oral and atrial apertures of zooids clearly visible on raised projections at top of each lobe. Tend to be less sand-encrusted in Monterey.

Abundant, especially in kelp forests with only moderate water motion.

Compound tunicate; colonies in short rounded lobes to 3 cm long; bright ruby red.  Oral and atrial apertures of zooids clearly visible at top of each lobe. Tend to be less sand-encrusted.

Common, especially in sites with stronger water motion.

Compound tunicate; grows as small flattened lumps 1-2 cm across but only 1-4 mm thick, pale orange; numerous small oral apertures with fewer larger common cloacal apertures. Tunic with microscopic spiky calcareous spicules.

Very abundant throughout kelp forests in Monterey region, on rocks with other invertebrates and algae.

Compound tunicate; grows as a continuous sheet 10 cm or more across & sometimes >4 mm thick, pale orange to cream; numerous smaller oral apertures with fewer larger common cloacal apertures. Tunic with microscopic spiky calcareous spicules.

Abundant, on rocks in same locations as D. carnulentum.

Compound tunicate; colony a continuous sheet 2-10 mm thick, gray-brown to pinkish; oral apertures of zooids are small dark dots; common cloacal apertures large and widely separated across tunic.

Abundant, on rocks with other compound tunicates, sessile invertebrates, and algae where water motion is moderate to strong.

Compound tunicate; colony a continuous sheet 2-10 mm thick, uniform dense gray; with numerous small oral apertures and fewer, more dispersed cloacal apertures across tunic.

Moderate to infrequent, on rocks with other compound tunicates, sessile invertebrates, and algae where water motion is moderate to strong.

Compound tunicate; colony very delicate & fragile 1-3 mm thick; transparent gray, olive or tan-yellow; numerous oral apertures with fewer large common cloacal apertures dispersed across a delicate fragile gelatinous tunic.

Moderately common, overgrowing other invertebrates and algae; also common in harbors and wharf pilings.

Compound tunicate; clusters of flattened paddle- shaped lobes 3-4 cm tall, cream to yellow brown; zooids in linear systems with common cloacal apertures at end of flattened lobe & oral apertures on face of paddle; older zooids are eroded from terminal end of paddle & new ones bud near base. 

Locally abundant but patchy in wave exposed sites; on rocks.

Compound tunicate; colony dome or mushroom- shaped 1-3 cm, purple to pale orange, gray, yellow or cream; zooids in small round systems around common cloacal apertures.

Moderately common in wave exposed sites (e.g. Carmel Bay).

Colonial tunicate; zooids nearly transparent 2-4 cm tall, 5-10 mm diameter; branchial basket with pink endostyle & dorsal lamina clearly visible through tunic.  Light bulb tunicate.

Abundant, but seasonally variable, regressing in  autumn & reappearing in late winter; on rocks among algae & other sessile invertebrates.

Colonial tunicate; zooids tiny (1-2 mm); transparent with bright orange branchial basket. Base of colony obscured by encrusting sand grains.

Abundant, on low-lying rocks near sandy substrate with moderate to strong water motion.

Colonial tunicate; zooids transparent green 2-4 mm tall in grape-like clusters; zooids interconnected by basal stolons that grow along substratum.

Moderately common but inconspicuous, on rocks or blades of algae in sites with moderate to strong water motion.

Solitary tunicate; tunic clear, glass-like with small white spots;1-5 cm tall; oral & atrial apertures terminal; gut on right side of body (instead of left like most other solitary ascidians w. a single body region). 

Moderately common; in deeper sites with lower water motion.

Solitary tunicate; tubular body 10-15 cm tall with  separate siphons at top; tunic translucent, delicate & soft, with white & yellow-orange pigment spots & visible longitudinal muscle bands. 

Very common in protected waters such as shaded wharf pilings and marina floats.  Introduced from Japan.

Solitary tunicate with compressed body 3-4 cm long; tunic opaque & often overgrown with encrusting organisms; oral siphon projects anteriorly, atrial siphon from dorsal mid-body. 

Very common, clustered in groups in protected waters such as wharf pilings and marina floats; also inside seawater systems.

Solitary tunicate; tunic dome-shaped 2-4 cm long, glassy pink to pale red, with two obvious siphons.

Moderately common; on rocks with moderate to strong water motion.

Colonial tunicate; zooids dome-shaped 2-4 mm long, bright orange with obvious oral and atrial siphons; interconnected by basal stolons.

Moderately common, but inconspicuous, on rocks.

Solitary tunicate to 25 cm long (most are smaller); tunic reddish brown, leathery with longitudinal grooves & attached with an elongate stalk; oral siphon bent to always face upstream as animal oscillates in wave surge. 

Abundant, on rocks among red algae with moderate to strong wave action. Stalks of older individuals often covered with hydroids & other fouling organisms.

Compound tunicate; colony 1-2 mm thick, tunic transparent with orange-tipped blood vessels at margins (arrow); zooids 3-5 mm, yellow, orange, red, or gray-black in flower-shaped systems with common cloacal aperture at center; zooids undergo continual degeneration & replacement by asexual budding; systems usually with fewer than 20 zooids; colonies regress in winter &  grow vigorously in spring & summer.

Abundant in protected habitats such as wharf pilings and marina floats; introduced from Europe.

Solitary tunicate; to 10 cm long, attached by a short flexible stalk.  Tunic orange to red-orange, covered with thorny soft spines. Oral & atrial siphons sometimes partially obscured by spines.

Common, on rocks among other sessile invertebrates and red algae.

Solitary tunicate; body usually cryptic with only pair of rose-tinted siphons visible; tunic leathery, dark red with wrinkles & creases 2-4 cm long. 

Moderately common, in crevices & other cryptic microhabitats.

Solitary tunicate; oblong globose tunic without stalk, 2-5 cm long, covered with thorn-like fleshy spines; tunic brown to orange with red or orange siphons. 

Uncommon; on rocks.