Didemnum is a genus of tunicate

Tunicate

Tunicates, also known as urochordates, are members of the subphylum Tunicata, previously known as Urochordata, a group of underwater saclike filter feeders with incurrent and excurrent siphons that is classified within the phylum Chordata. While most tunicates live on the ocean floor, others such...

s in the family

Family (biology)

In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...

 Didemnidae

Didemnidae

Didemnidae is a family of tunicates in the order Enterogona. It describes a group of marine animals.-Genera:*Didemnopsis Hartmeyer, 1903*Didemnum Savigny, 1816*Diplosoma Macdonald, 1859*Echinoclinum Van Name, 1902...

. Some species of Didemnum can be characterized as invasive species

Invasive species

"Invasive species", or invasive exotics, is a nomenclature term and categorization phrase used for flora and fauna, and for specific restoration-preservation processes in native habitats, with several definitions....

. This is particularly an issue off the east coast of the United States, where in early 2006, Didemnum were estimated to inhabit more than 175 square kilometers of this undersea region. Other areas where Didemnum are seen as invasive include Canada, New Zealand and the Netherlands.

Didemnum vexillum turned up on coast of state of Washington in 2009 and showing up in Coos Bay and Winchester Bay, Oregon as of 13 May 2010.

Species

• Didemnum albidum (Verrill, 1871)
• Didemnum amethysteum (Van Name, 1902)
• Didemnum asperum (Milne-Edwards, 1841)
• Didemnum biglans (Sluiter, 1906)
• Didemnum candidum Savigny, 1816
• Didemnum carnulentum Ritter and Forsyth, 1917
• Didemnum chilense Arnbaeck, 1929
• Didemnum coriaceum (Von Drasche, 1883)
• Didemnum fulgens (Milne-Edwards, 1841)
• Didemnum galacteum Lotufo & Dias, 2007
• Didemnum gelatinosum
• Didemnum helgolandicum
• Didemnum lahillei Hartmeyer, 1909
• Didemnum maculosum (Milne-Edwards, 1841)
• Didemnum santaelenae Van Name, 1945
• Didemnum studeri Hartmeyer, 1911
• Didemnum tenue (Herdman, 1886)
• Didemnum vanderhorsti Van Name, 1924
• Didemnum vexillum Kott, 2002

External links

• Species Profile- Sea Squirt (Didemnum vexillum), National Invasive Species Information Center, United States National Agricultural Library
  United States National Agricultural Library
  The United States National Agricultural Library is one of the world's largest agricultural research libraries, and serves as a National Library of the United States and as the library of the United States Department of Agriculture...
  
  . Lists general information and resources for Sea Squirt.