Ascidians are simple marine organisms that feed by filtering seawater. The structure of these animals is a little more complex in colonial species, such as Symplegma rubra (pictured). The specimen above was collected in Ilhabela, off the coast of São Paulo. The three red zooids, each about 3 millimeters long, are connected by a transparent protective layer that carries not only blood, but also stem cells. From a single fragment, these cells can regenerate an entire colony within just 12 days.
Image submitted by biologist Iván André Morillo, a master’s student at the University of São Paulo’s Institute of Biosciences (IB-USP).
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