Culeolus sp.

Monniot, Francoise, 2021, New records of deep-sea ascidians (Tunicata, Ascidiacea) from the New Caledonia region, Zootaxa 4996 (3), pp. 443-468 : 465-466

Culeolus sp.

Figure 21 .

Stations: Kanadeep CP 5095; cp 5108. Three specimens.

Culeolus recumbens: Monniot F. & Monniot C. 2003 specimens from Fiji. Only a careful examination can distinguish Culeolus sp. ( Fig. 21A ) from Culeolus recumbens , both species having the same size, same body shape and peduncle and a tunic incrusted with sand but the tunic of Culeolus sp. lacks of minute papillae. Internally both species are also very similar by their branchial tissue, musculature and digestive loop. The oral tentacles are particularly long with few digitations. In all specimens the branchial tissue was extruded from the atrial siphon. The longitudinal sinuses are spaced, not numerous and do not form true folds. The open digestive loop ( Fig. 21C ) is applied to the endostyle, its reverse limb shorter than the primary one, the anus rim is multilobed. The hepatic gland lies in successive lobes on the stomach.. The gonads are the most distinctive element of the species. There is one sausage-like gonad on each side, the left one located inside the gut loop ( Fig. 21C ). The testis lobes are placed along the ovary to form a single mass not covered by an endocarp, attached to the body wall but not included in it, ending in short linked genital papillae. An endocarp in a long vesicle lies on the body wall anterior to the right gonad and another endocarp is anterior to the tip of the digestive loop.

Some spicules are present in the gonads.

This Culeolus sp. was previously considered as a variety of Culeolus recumbens but having few more elongate gonads. But the collection of many specimens, well mature, with the same peculiarity leads to considering they may be two different species.

Figures

FIGURE 21. Culeolus sp. A, specimen; B, body without tunic; C, body ventrally opened without tunic. Scale bars = 1cm