Perophora namei Hartmeyer & Michaelsen, 1928

Monniot, Françoise, 2010, Some new data on tropical western Pacific Ascidians, Zootaxa 2561 (1), pp. 1-29 : 17

Perophora namei Hartmeyer & Michaelsen, 1928

Perophora namei Hartmeyer & Michaelsen, 1928: 270 . Millar 1975: 267 Fig.48. Kott 1985: 108 Fig. 47b,c. Monniot F. & Monniot C. 2001:301 Fig. 125B.

Material. Coll. N.J. Pilcher et al., Viet Nam, Con Dao Isl. , Hon Vung Isl., 08°37.78’N – 106°33.34’E, 20m, 04/VIII/2008, 0PHG 1780-S ( MNHN P2 PER 91 ) .

The colonies are erect above a sedimentary bottom. The zooids on short stems are arranged in a helicoidal pattern along a thin horny axis. The Viet Nam colonies are immature.

The geographical distribution of the species seems limited to the western part of the Pacific Ocean: Philippines, Coral Sea and Papua New Guinea, always on sediment.

Ascidia archaia Sluiter, 1890

( Figure 18)

Ascidia archaia Sluiter, 1890: 346 . Kott 1985: 26 Fig. 7 . Monniot C. 1987: 7 Fig. 2 . Monniot C. & Monniot F. 1987:92 Fig. 34 and synonymy. Monniot C. 1997: 568. Monniot F. & Monniot C. 2001: 304.

Material. Coll. Coral Reef Research Foundation, Palau, Southwest Isl. , Helen Reef channel, 02°52.24’N – 131°44.55’E, 30m, 17/IX/2008, 0CDN 9802-O bis ( MNHN P5 ASC. A 411 ) .

A small individual was overlapped by a colony of Didemnum parau . The body 15mm long has a thin translucent tunic, an apical oral siphon and an atrial aperture at ¼ of the body length. Both siphons have a multi-lobed edge. The species is characterized by a wide gut loop, a massive lobed ovary with a wide oviduct ( Fig. 18B), a branchial tissue with papillae erect above the longitudinal vessels at the crossing with transverse vessels, plus smaller ones in intermediate position ( Fig. 18A).

This species common in the Pacific is also recorded from Mozambique and the Caribbean islands.

Figures

FIGURE 2. A:Trididemnum cyclops. B: Trididemnum lanugineum n. sp. C: Trididemnum biglutinum from New Guinea. D: Trididemnum biglutinum from Palau.

FIGURE 7. A: Didemnum nocturnum. B: Didemnum parau. C: Didemnum rodriguesi. D: Lissoclinum bistratum.