Colony regeneration following damage and size-dependent mortality in the Australian ascidian Podoclavella moluccensis Sluiter

Among colonial marine invertebrates, early phases of the life history might be expected to be more susceptible to attacks by predators. By inflicting damage to animals and using caging and tethering manipulations, I examine the potential and real impact of predators on colonies and single-zooid recruits of the subtidal ascidian Podoclavella moluccensis Sluiter. Juvenile colonies (< 3 months old) disappeared within 4 wk of the experimental removal of zooids and tunic, indicating that they were highly susceptible to predators. Colonies of 11 months age, on the other hand, regenerated rapidly; within 36 days colony size and zooid height were indistinguishable from those of undamaged controls.