Didemnum vexillum - New England Offshore Occurrences and Images

First documented occurrence

Georges Bank; November, 2003; in a 6 sq mi area centered on 41 deg 58 min N lat, 67 deg 31 min W lon; water depth 48 m, (157 ft). Source: P. Valentine, J. Collie, R. Reid.

First anecdotal occurrence

According to a local fisherman (Matt Stommel of Woods Hole, Massachusetts, November 2003), an organism resembling D. sp. (and called "macaroni") has been encountered on the bank by fishermen for decades in small "holes" located several miles south of the November 2003 first documented occurrence. Fishermen report it to be mixed with heavy mud in their nets. No specimens of "macaroni" are available for study at this time (Nov. 2003). Note: Recent observations of D. sp. by researchers in the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean basins show it to be attached to hard substrates, never associated with mud or clay seabeds. Source: P. Valentine.

Web sites with imagery and text

Note: Many, but not all, of the D. sp. images in the following press releases and stories are duplicated here.

NOAA Fisheries News Online, Nov. 2003; Georges Bank story with D. sp. imagery and location map. PDF format

NOAA Fisheries/U.S. Geological Survey press release, Nov. 2003; Georges Bank story with D. sp. imagery. PDF format

NOAA Fisheries/U.S. Geological Survey press release, Nov. 2003; Georges Bank story with D. sp. imagery. PDF format

NOAA Fisheries/U.S. Geological Survey press release, Nov. 2003; Georges Bank story with D. sp. imagery; PDF format.

U.S. Geological Survey press release, Nov. 2003; Georges Bank story with D. sp. imagery and location map. PDF format

Press Herald, Nov. 28, 2003; Georges Bank story with D. sp. imagery. PDF format

Web sites with text only

Boston Globe, Nov. 21, 2003; Georges Bank story. PDF format

Portsmouth Herald, Nov. 24, 2003; Georges Bank story. PDF format

Standard Times, Nov. 28, 2003; Georges Bank story. PDF format

Images

• Georges Bank

Location Information

Location data

Georges Bank regional map, yellow boxes show tunicate occurrences as of August, 2005.