Red-throated ascidians live attached to the underside of coral boulders as part of the cryptic community. This community is commonly comprised of a number of brightly-coloured sponges, intricate bryozoans, tiny molluscs as well as polychaete worms, cnidarians and the occasional priapulid. Despite this diversity and the beauty it creates, the cryptic community is often left as an unseen treasure on the underside of dead coral rubble. Next time you are snorkelling, turn one over and have a look.
An interesting fact about the red-throated ascidian is that the branchial sac of many individuals provides home to a single copepod. Other small crustaceans, namely shrimps have also been found in H.momus from other locations, such as the Red Sea (Shenkar & Loya 2008). Little is known about how or when the copepod enters the ascidian, or why it wants to live their in the first place but it is a fascinating relationship nonetheless.
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Group of four H. momus individuals uncovered from the underside of a coral plate on Heron Reef
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