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Story: Marine animals without backbones

Bluebell sea squirts

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Bluebell sea squirts

Bluebell or Clavelina sea squirts grow as a group, with individuals connected by a common base. Sea squirts feed by taking in water through an inhalant siphon. The water enters an internal filter compartment, where food particles are removed and forcibly expelled through an exhalant siphon.

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NIWA – National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research

by Sean Handley

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How to cite this page

Dennis Gordon and Maggy Wassilieff, Marine animals without backbones – Tunicates: sea squirts, salps and appendicularians, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/5868/bluebell-sea-squirts (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Dennis Gordon and Maggy Wassilieff, published 2 March 2009.