Additional records of bathyal ascidians (Tunicata) from the New Caledonia region Author Exbodi, Françoise Monniot text Zootaxa 2022 2022-10-12 5195 3 201 223 journal article 163383 10.11646/zootaxa.5195.3.1 64857dc9-9d69-49d4-be4b-f87c810e6018 1175-5326 7187776 44C449B1-1536-40BE-AB30-4D728A90EC30 Oligotrema psammites Bourne, 1903 Figure 19 Station: SPANBIOS: DW 5257, 2 specimens . The body is oval covered with thin tunic filaments and coated with sediment. The oral aperture is lined by six pinnate equal lobes ( Fig. 19A ). The atrial siphon protrudes slightly at the opposite end of the body ( Fig. 19A ). Extracted from the tunic the body wall appears translucent. The oral musculature has a strong sphincter and short longitudinal fibres. Six short strong longitudinal muscles run on the ventral side of the body “neck”. Transverse muscular fibres are regularly spaced around the whole body ( Fig. 19 B,C ). The anal siphon has no sphincter. The oral aperture has a ring of flat tentacles. The neural ganglion is anteriorly prolonged by six stout nerves ( Fig. 19E ) and posteriorly extends along the whole dorsal line. The neural gland is situated at the right side of the neural ganglion. The anterior part of the pharynx is enlarged in a funnel with multiple perforations on each side ( Fig. 19D,E ). Posteriorly the oesophagus is long and enters into a large stomach pouch. The intestine forms a loop applied to the left side of the stomach. A network of pyloric tubules encloses the intestine. A large kidney containing a concretion occupies the right side of the atrial cavity ( Fig. 19C ). A thin-walled endocarp can be seen ventrally on each body side. There is one gonad on each side ( Fig. 19B,C ). The testis consists of a group of ramified lobes applied to the left and right sides of the stomach and has a short sperm duct. The ovaries are long curved tubes ending near the atrial aperture ( Fig. 19B,C ). Remarks. Kott (1989) synonymised Sorbera unigonas Monniot & Monniot, 1984 , Oligotrema psammites Bourne, 1903 and Oligotrema psammathodes ( Sluiter, 1905 ) considering that no major differences occur in samples collected in wide geographical areas. The genus Oligotrema having priority the name Oligotrema psammites was employed by Monniot & Monniot (2003) for specimens from New Caledonia , Philippines and Solomon Islands and is used here for the Spanbios samples. Detailed descriptions of this species under the name Sorbera unigonas can be found in Monniot & Monniot (1984 and 1990 ).