Golden Star Tunicate

Botryllus schlosseri

Sighting evidence at Mire Loch Wall, St. Abbs Head

Photo: Rebekah Bajkó · CC BY

Golden star tunicates form star-shaped colonial patterns across boulders and kelp stipes at Mire Loch Wall, each golden or purple star consisting of individual zooids embedded in a shared tunic. They are among the most evolutionarily significant organisms in cold-water British diving — tunicates are the closest invertebrate relatives of vertebrates — and their stunning visual effect under dive torches makes them a favourite macro subject. The Mire Loch Wall has exceptional coverage due to reduced disturbance.

Evidence at this site

3 records within 25 km

Confidence: low

Last confirmed Mar 2026

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How is this calculated?

Sighting evidence is compiled from iNaturalist observation records within a set proximity radius, filtered for quality-grade observations. “Last confirmed” is the date of the most recent research-grade record. Record count covers a rolling 24-month window. Confidence reflects record count, recency, and consistency of seasonal signal.