Divers Discover 'Panda Sea Squirt' Off Japan Coast

When divers surfaced from the waters off Kumejima, Japan in 2017, they brought back photos of something extraordinary: a tiny sea creature with black and white markings that looked exactly like a panda bear.

The unusual animal caught the attention of researcher Naohiro Hasegawa from Hokkaido University, who first spotted images of the "skeleton panda sea squirt" while scrolling through Twitter in 2018. At less than an inch long, the creature's distinctive coloring immediately told him this was something special.

"It was at that point that I realized it was probably quite rare because it looks different to the other sea squirts," Hasegawa said. After six years of study, scientists officially confirmed in 2024 that they'd found a brand new species.

The scientists named it Clavelina ossipandae, which translates to "little bottle" for its tube shape and "bone panda" for its striking resemblance to the beloved bear. Its Japanese nickname is even cuter: gaikotsu-panda-hoya, or "skeleton panda ascidian."

The white parts that look like bones are actually blood vessels running through the creature's gills. The black spots resembling a panda's eyes and nose remain a mystery, with researchers still puzzled about their purpose.

The Bright Side

This adorable discovery comes with an important bonus: these sea squirts are ocean cleaners. They feed by sucking water through tube-like siphons, filtering out plankton and tiny particles, including harmful microplastics.

"Sea squirts are fantastic," said marine biologist Giorgia Carnovale. "They're shaped like a tube and function as a cleaning pump with a mucus-covered filter that catches tiny particles in the water."

Carnovale believes these creatures could help reverse ocean damage. Growing and planting sea squirts offers a natural solution to cleaning polluted seawater while supporting marine ecosystems.

The panda sea squirt proves that even the smallest creatures can make the biggest difference in protecting our oceans.