A colonial sea squirt or tunicate, the Football Sea Squirt, Diazona violacea grows up to 40cms across. It is mainly spherical in shape but larger ones are somewhat squat. Made up of many individuals which are joined over much of their length, they have distinct white markings running down them and around the vents. A southern and western species, it seems to prefer deeper, clearer waters although in Western Scotland it is commonly found in relatively shallow areas in sea lochs. After producing larvae in late Summer, it dies back to a bud from which the new “squirts” begin to develop during the Winter.

A colonial sea squirt or tunicate, the Football Sea Squirt, Diazona violacea grows up to 40cms across. It is mainly spherical in shape but larger ones are somewhat squat. Made up of many individuals which are joined over much of their length, they have distinct white markings running down them and around the vents. A southern and western species, it seems to prefer deeper, clearer waters although in Western Scotland it is commonly found in relatively shallow areas in sea lochs. After producing larvae in late Summer, it dies back to a bud from which the new “squirts” begin to develop during the Winter.