Sea vomit gets new name

The invasive species that was previously called havsspya (swedish name), has been given an official name: filtsjöpung (swedish name).

The species was recently discovered in Sweden and is feared to cause major problems. The public is therefore asked to report new findings to the Norwegian Sea and Water Authority.

The first discovery of Didemnum vexillum , which is a form of Japanese Ciona intestinalis, was made in mid-September in Koster sea National Park. It spreads quickly and displaces plant and animal life, threatening the ecosystem.

“Since the Didemnum vexillum spreads very effectively, it is now important to find out how widespread it is,” says Andrea Ljung, coordinator for invasive species at the Norwegian Sea and Water Authority, in a press release.

The authority therefore urges everyone to report suspicious finds made on beach edges, on equipment or when diving along the Bohu coast. The easiest way to report it is on the site rappen.nu.

The difficulty is that the Didemnum vexillum can look different depending on where it is. In calmer waters it can develop large hanging colonies with long lobes. On horizontal surfaces it can form a thin coating on the substrate and on vertical surfaces it can become covering crusts.