Cool! My first guess would be crinoids...

http://www.enterprisemission.com/_articles/03-08-2004/crinoid_cover-up_clip_image002_0010.jpg

Hello Kees,

How about stolidobranch ascidians...?!

Best wishes,

Mike

Hi Kees, check out the Urochordata (Ascidiacea)- sea squirts. They have various life forms including stalked species like these ones.

Cheers, Phil

Agreed! Check out Pyura pachydermatina, which I believe is native to New Zealand.

Hi Daniel, Mike and Phil

Thank you all for the prompt answer. I had hoped to be able to thank you individually but apparently not so I shall do so collectively.

I had excluded crinoids because there were no obvious segments along the stalk. 

I was busily trying to find it among the earlier phylum. I did not consider going to the hemichordata or chordata phyla like ascidians. I checked the stolodiobranch asciidians but their stalks are far too short. The only long stalked ones that I have been able to find are Pyura pachyderamtina.

So were these specimens swept across the ditch westward to Tassie? I'll ask the person who found them more details about the conditions that prevailed immediately before finding them. 

thanks

Kees

Hi Kees,

Perhaps Pyura gibbosa?

I would have guessed a Pyura sp. also

Hi Kees

As Nicholas said it must be a Pyura gibbosa, as its stalks can extend upto 30 cm length

Hi Kees

As Nicholas said it must be a Pyura gibbosa, as its stalks can extend upto 30 cm length

Thank you for your responses it has saved me a great deal of worry trying to track down the phylum. But not only that you are giving me possible species. Awesome.

Most helpful, I'll check out Pyura gibbosa.

Kees

Hi Kees, definitely is a Pyura (not sure the species). You can take a look in Brewin's monographs of New Zealand ascidia fauna. There you can find descriptions of the species.

Cheers! 

Hola Gaston muchas gracias por su informacion. Brewin's monograph es una recommendacion muy utile. Podemos verlo. gracias

Hi Kees! Enclosed I send you the works I have from Brewin.

I hope you find them helpful!

Cheers!

Hi Maria

it may be a missed opportunity to get pictures of the branchial folds. I am not sure where the specimens are. I shall find out.

cheers

K