Spiny sea squirt

Halocynthia dumosa

Other invertebrates
IUCN: Not evaluated

Usual depth8–183 m
Water temperature6–29 °C
Best monthsJune, July, and October
How commonRare

All species

Where and when

Where it has been recorded

Worldwide

Loading the map

Best months

Worldwide (open data)

January: 11 records
February: 10 records
March: 10 records
April: 11 records
May: 11 records
June: 19 records
July: 16 records
August: 6 records
September: 8 records
October: 15 records
November: 9 records
December: 5 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 8–183 m · Deepest record: 185 m

0–10 m: 3 records
10–20 m: 1 records
20–30 m: 1 records
30–40 m: 1 records
40–50 m: 1 records
50–60 m: 2 records
60–70 m: 0 records
70–80 m: 0 records
80–90 m: 1 records
90–100 m: 1 records
100–110 m: 0 records
110+ m: 3 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 6–29 °C

6–8 °C: 4 records
8–10 °C: 0 records
10–12 °C: 1 records
12–14 °C: 2 records
14–16 °C: 8 records
16–18 °C: 0 records
18–20 °C: 1 records
20–22 °C: 11 records
22–24 °C: 4 records
24–26 °C: 0 records
26–28 °C: 1 records
28–30 °C: 1 records

Names and classification

English: Spiny sea squirt

Names in 1 more languages

Japanese: イガボヤ

Other scientific names: Cynthia crinitistellata, Cynthia dumosa, Cynthia hispida, Cynthia pachyderma, Halocynthia hispida

Similar species

Bristly Tunicate
Halocynthia igaboja
Mauve-mouth Ascidian
Herdmania grandis
Red-throated ascidian
Herdmania momus
Blunt-spined Microcosmus
Microcosmus squamiger
Tunicate
Microcosmus exasperatus
Culeolus caudatus

Sources and credits

Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).

Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
49 open-data records from 1931 to 1999.
Species data updated November 3, 2026.

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