Whenever I see these on jetty pylons or on reef I think of flowers and bluebells.

In reality these little critters are ascidians or seasquirts and anything but bluebells. These are Blue Throat Ascidians (Clavelina australis) and live in compound clusters. Most interesting is they are chordates, the same phylum as us! Even though they don’t really have a backbone and ribs, though it looks like it through their transparent bodies, they do have a long nerve running the length of their body in the same way our spinal column does.

This image was captured at Rapid Bay, South Australia, where they were attached to a metal stake driven into the sea floor.

Photo: Robert Rath, ‘Day 634, Blue Throat Ascidians’ 1/160s f/10 ISO320 100mm