tunicate
/ˈtunɪkət/
noun
- A sea animal with a soft body that lives inside a tough outer covering, such as a sea squirt.
- Some tunicates live alone, while others form large colonies on the ocean floor.
- We saw a clear tunicate attached to the dock at low tide.
- The tunicate filters plankton from the water through its siphon.
adjective
- Having a natural outer covering or coat, like a tunic.
- Certain tunicate species have a tough, leathery outer layer.
- Botanists describe the tunicate bulb as having layered, papery skins.
- The tunicate body of the animal protects it from predators.