Invasion
Invasion Description
1st Record: Newport Beach/CA/Newport Harbor (1933, Carlton 1979; Lambert and Lambert 1998; Cohen et al. 2002; Lambert and Lambert 2003)
Geographic Extent
Newport Beach/CA/Newport Harbor (1933, Carlton 1979; Lambert and Lambert 1998; Cohen et al. 2002; Fairey et al. 2002; Lambert and Lambert 2003; 2011, California Department of Fish and Wildlife 2014; 2017, Ruiz and Geller 2021, 2 of 10 sites sampled; 2018, Beshai et al. 2022)
Vectors
| Level | Vector |
|---|---|
| Probable | None |
Regional Impacts
| Ecological Impact | Competition | |
| Styela clava is abundant in Southern California harbors, often forming dense patches with 100% cover (Lambert and Lambert 1998; Lambert and Lambert 2003). It and other introduced ascidians have replaced the native species Pyura haustor and Ascidia ceratodes in southern California harbors (Lambert and Lambert 1998). | ||