Observations on non-didemnid ascidians from Australian waters (1)
Author
Kott, Patricia
text
Journal of Natural History
2006
2006-04-26
40
3 - 4
169
234
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00222930600621601
journal article
10.1080/00222930600621601
1464-5262
5232431
Monandrocarpa plana
(
Kott, 1972
)
Monoandrocarpa plana
Kott 1972
, p 250
.
Monandrocarpa plana
:
Kott 1985
, p 210
and synonymy.
Distribution
Previously
recorded (see
Kott 1985
):
New
South Wales
(Cronulla);
Philippines
.
The
species has been taken from the
Philippines
on rocks supplied to the aquarium industry.
New
records:
Queensland
(18.015
°
S, 146.645
°
E,
55 m
)
.
Description
The newly recorded colony is a collection of small grey domes, each to
1 cm
diameter with sessile apertures on the upper surface, the branchial aperture halfway between the atrial aperture (in the centre) and the anterior margin of dome. The whole of the lower flat surface adheres to the substratum. The test is thin and slightly translucent. Sometimes the basal test spreads out around the zooids, but a connection between them was not detected. The stomach is folded. About 10–12 hermaphrodite polycarp gonads, each consisting of a sac-like ovary associated with a single testis follicle, are in a row along each side of the endostyle.