Clavelina australis

The species was first described under the name Stereoclavella australis in 1898 by William Abbott Herdman, although that taxon was considered a nomen nudum. A formal taxonomic description of the species was written by Herdman the next year, alongside a tentatively named Stereoclavella sp. ?australis from Broughton Island. The two descriptions differed in the structure of their dorsal languets, united in the latter by a longitudinal band but directly joined to the horizontal membranes in S. australis. The original genus Stereoclavella was later synonymized with Clavelina, giving the tunicate its currently accepted binomial name. == Description ==

Like most ascidians, Clavelina australis is a sessile, colonial filter-feeder. Colonies are made of a large number of zooids emerging from a solid stalk-like test. They can average in width, while individual zooids are much smaller, around in length and in width. == Distribution and habitat ==

Clavelina australis is known from the waters of southeastern Australia. Colonies anchor themselves on rocks and coral reefs in shallow waters, at up to of depth. == Taxonomy ==

Inside the genus Clavelina, the closest relative of C. australis has been found to be C. ossipandae, the skeleton panda sea squirt, following the latter's description in 2024. == References ==