ABSTRACT
The marine bacterium Halomonas halocynthiae has been isolated from the gill tissue of the sessile species. Like most colonial ascidians, the light-bulb tunicate is a hermaphrodite that reproduces sexually and asexually. Sexual reproduction occurs with internal fertilization, allowing 50–70 embryos in the atrial cavity at one time. Stearic acid serves as an emulsifying agent, solubilizing agent, and tablet and capsule lubricant; palmitic acid is an important fatty acid for pharmaceutical applications; and myristic acid serves as a multifunctional regulator of fatty acid metabolism. Spicules are spherical with seven to nine pointed rays in an optical section and are distributed uniformly, but at the place around the common cloacal opening, their number is reduced. Test is very soft, and zooids are arranged in circular systems. Solitary zooids of the planktonic species have a maximum length of 120 mm. Test is strongly echinate.
