Research News

Buzzards Bay Benthic Mapping Spots a Pyrosome

In June 2016, while conducting at sea mapping of extensive Buzzards Bay seafloor areas covered with Crepidula fornicata, the common slipper shell, scientists from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA) photographed a Pyrosome.

Buzzards Bay is popular destination for fishing, boating, and tourism adjacent to Massachusetts and connected to Cape Cod Bay via the Cape Cod Canal. Pyrosomes are free-floating colonial tunicates that live usually in the upper layers of the open ocean in warm seas, So far – coordination with regional and national experts have not produced any records of this colonial tunicate in Bays or Sounds of New England.

“They act like a coral reef colony – without the hard coral.” said Bill Hubbard, Marine Ecologist at MMA. The group of individuals filters water into their 5 by 40 cm tube-like colony structure, as it passively moves at the mercy of currents. These organisms are often found in warmer waters, drifting in the pelagic zones. ]A current must have pushed it into upper Buzzards Bay. Although it looks like it is attached to the substrate, it most likely was just pushed downward by currents, since they are pelagic and not benthic organisms. Pyrosoma atlanticum is the most common of this species – given what researchers could see in the HD photograph, they cannot confirm the species. It may be there are other Pyrosomes in our bays, and the new technology being deployed by Massachusetts Maritime Academy is just now allowing their discovery. Or, as our oceans warm, we can expect more exotic visitors such as this translucent colony.

We have observed a diverse group of benthic tunicates growing on our New England docks and piers, but this is our first encounter with a pelagic Pyrosome species! Says Kristin Osborne, tunicate specialist, MMA Adjunct Faculty and UMASS-Boston PhD candidate. While programming in the Latitude and Longitude coordinates Tyler Aldrich, MMA senior, Marine Safety and Environmental Protection Program was surprised to see this interesting animal.

50 second video

90 second video (has some typical local tunicate video)

According to Rear Admiral Francis X. McDonald; Massachusetts Maritime Academy is committed to mapping the seafloor of Buzzards Bay. This effort places MMA students onboard research vessels and making surprising discoveries such as this unique organism.

MMA has been conducting high definition (HD) underwater video transects in Buzzards Bay under a grant from the Massachusetts Environmental Trust (the Trust). The MMA Research Vessel Liberty with high definition drop camera/structure scan recorders and the Coastal America Foundation Research Vessel Teleost with a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) video camera have been the primary field assets. Over 30 students have been engaged in the mapping assisting field operations with MMA researchers Bill Hubbard (Marine Ecologist); Mike Elliott (GIS Environmental Analyst) and Frank Veale (Marine Safety and Environmental Protection Program Chairman). Tyler Aldrich – one of our seniors – has been working on this underwater video mapping effort all summer. He has developed skills in video mapping and Remotely Operated Underwater Vehicle (ROV) operations.

The Massachusetts Environmental Trust has financially supported this effort. Supporting the environmental programs, like the Buzzards Bay Benthic Mapping project, funded by the Trust in your community is easy: choose one of three environmental plates, the Right Whale & Roseate Terns, The Leaping Brook Trout, or the Blackstone Valley Mill when you purchase a new car or renew Visit your local Registry of Motor Vehicles or order a plate online at www.massrmv.com or log onto www.mass.gov/eea/met where you can learn more about the Trust, the programs it supports, and the specialty license plate offerings.

The Coastal America Foundation is collecting donations for MMA student stipends to participate in field research. You can donate here. If you would like to support or obtain more information about the benthic mapping in Buzzards Bay, please contact Bill Hubbard at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Video and more information available here.

Embedded map

The Pyrosome was located just west of Stony Point Dike along Hog Island Channel – the entrance to Cape Cod Canal. Image courtesy of Massachusetts Maritime Academy.

Typical truncates Capture

Typical tunicates living under our docks include vase shaped and star shaped organisms. Photo courtesy of Massachusetts Maritime Academy.

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