Are these things for real? And aren’t they kind of cute? Saw this on the internet and had to find out if these little things are real, or just another Photoshopped wonder. Join CryptoVille as we investigate Skeleton Panda Sea Squirts!
These little things are so unusual and seem to scream “I’m a cryptid” each time I look at them. I did some research and here’s what I found out:
Skeleton Panda Sea Squirts are real! They are part of the Ascidiacea>Urochordata (aka Tunicata) family of marine animals.
In general, this class of animals is stuck in place, though some can move by lifting one part of their bodies and putting them down in another place, then letting go of the original section. Most are shaped like a potato and they live in what’s described as the “intertidal zone to the greatest depths.”
You probably see them if you’re around pier pilings, ships’ hulls, wet rocks, and things like that. As far as I can tell, this Skeleton Panda variety seems to live around Japan and Korea.
Here’s an example of another type of sea squirt, the Blue Spot Sea Squirt. They look like beautiful vases, don’t they?
According to the Encyclopaedia Brittanica, these types of creatures consist of, “an outer protective covering, the tunic, which contains a cellulose-like substance. Sea squirts have two large pores, one to guide water into the body cavity, … the other serving as an exit. … Food and oxygen are taken from the water current as water passes through gill slits in the pharynx. Near the shore, debris from dead plants and animals constitutes an important part of the diet; in deeper water, plankton … is a more important food.”
If you like, you can read more about them by following my link to the Encyclopaedia Brittanica in the references below.
I’ll leave you with this one other fact about these animals that I find very interesting:
“Sea Squirts are sources of diverse natural products that are of special interest for biomedicine and drug discovery. For example, Ecteinasdicia turbinate, a colonial sea squirt, produces a substance known as trabectedin (ET-743), which has anticancer properties and is used in the treatment of soft tissue sarcomas (cancers that originate in supporting tissues, such as muscle and fat).”
While we continue to look for the larger, more well-known cryptids that we all love to ponder, our world never ceases to amaze me with its richness and diversity of plants and animals. Do these Skeleton Panda Sea Squirts look like little monsters? They sure do! But they’re a wonderful addition to our world!
What do you think of the Skeleton Panda Sea Squirts?
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References
https://www.britannica.com/animal/sea-squirt
Those are both eerie and adorable.
I know what you mean, Lisa! Thank you for visiting CryptoVille!!