Some new data on tropical western Pacific Ascidians
Author
Monniot, Françoise
text
Zootaxa
2010
2010-08-09
2561
1
1
29
https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.2561.1.1
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.2561.1.1
1175-5326
5304193
Trididemnum cyclops
Michaelsen, 1921
(
Figure 2A
)
Trididemnum cyclops
Michaelsen, 1921: 19
; Kott: 2001:264 and synonymy; Monniot F. & Monniot C.:2001: 262
Material.
Palau
, coll.
Coral Reef Research Foundation, SW
islands,
Helen Reef
(
Hotsarihi
),
02°55.78’N
–
131°46.42’E
,
1m
,
25/VIII/2008
, 0CDN 9897-
R
(
MNHN
A2
TRI 187
)
.
Zanzibar
, coll.
Richmond
(
MNHN
A2
TRI 121
)
.
Seychelles
,
coll.
Lewin
(
MNHN
A2
TRI 61
)
.
Madagascar
, coll.
Vasseur
,
Tulear
, (
MNHN
A2
TRI 179
)
.
FIGURE 2.
A:
Trididemnum cyclops
. B:
Trididemnum lanugineum
n. sp.
C:
Trididemnum biglutinum
from New Guinea. D:
Trididemnum biglutinum
from Palau.
Light green or pink all colonies have the same cushion shape
1 to 1.5 cm
in length and
3 mm
in thickness when fixed (
Fig. 2A
). One or two apertures are at the top of each colony. The surface layer is aspicular. The common cloacal cavity is filled with symbiotic algae. Rare dark pigment cells are scattered among the spicules in the tunic. The zooids have a dark pigment spot at the top of the endostyle and some pigment cells above the stomach. The dorsal lobe of the oral siphon is shorter than the 5 others. The cloacal aperture is transverse. As in all localities where they have been observed there are 8 oval stigmata per side in the first branchial row. The waist is long with a long muscular appendage. Six to seven turns of the sperm duct enclose the single testis vesicle. Larvae were not found in these colonies. The spicules have numerous rays as figured in
Kott (2001
Fig.174D).
T. cyclops
is a common shallow water species widely distributed in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.