Corella willmeriana Herdman, 1898

Lambert, Gretchen, 2019, The Ascidiacea collected during the 2017 British Columbia Hakai MarineGEO BioBlitz, Zootaxa 4657 (3), pp. 401-436 : 420

Corella willmeriana Herdman, 1898

Figure 10G

IHAK 18 BHAK 0636, 0651, 0653, 1201 UF 2487, 2501, 2502, 2510. Under lab dock, common. Largest 4 cm long.

XHAK 1 Maey Channel ARMS plates, 7.3 m.

XHAK 2 Rattenbury Island ARMS 5.2 m. One large specimen on a crosspiece.

XHAK 3 Mercury Islet ARMS 5 m. Two specimens on plates.

XHAK 5 Lyte Group ARMS 9 m. One small specimen.

XHAK 7 Goldstream ARMS 5 m. One on a crosspiece.

XHAK 8 Westbeach ARMS 5 m. One on a crosspiece.

XHAK 9 Kelpie Point ARMS 5 m. Several large on plates, with small C.inflata , Chelyosoma productum , one Ascidia columbiana and small flat colonies of Distaplia occidentalis .

XHAK 11 Starfish ARMS 5 m. Two specimens on plates.

The primary differences between this and the preceding species are the long intestine and gonoducts (on the right side), which end very close to the atrial siphon (compare Figs. 10E, F ). The atrial cavity is very small and the gametes are free-spawned, though as in Corella inflata , the oocytes float due to their large ammonia-filled follicle cells ( Lambert & Lambert 1978). The body is attached at the posterior end and maintains an upright position, which facilitates gamete release at spawning into the surrounding sea water. See Lambert et al. (1981) for other differences and a detailed description. Distribution: Alaska to central California ( Herdman 1898; Abbott & Newberry 1980; Lambert G et al. 1981; Lambert CC et al. 1996; Lambert & Sanamyan 2001).

Figures

FIGURE 10. Figure 10. Phlebobranchia. A, B: Ascidia columbiana. A: whole animal right side, anterior on the right. Arrows indicate oral siphon opening (on right) and atrial opening above. B: anterior end around oral opening showing tunic papillations. C: Ascidia paratropa 9 cm in length; D: Ciona savignyi 6.2 cm in length; E: Chelyosoma productum 1.5 cm in diameter; F: Corella inflata about 3 cm in length; G: Corella willmeriana about 3 cm in length; H: Perophora annectens. Scale bars: A, 1.5 cm; B, 2 mm; H, 4 mm. C, D, F, G photos by G. Paulay.