Didemnum corium, Kott, 2005
|
publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.1080/00222930500087077 |
|
persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/7352D565-FB12-FF92-FE1D-FEF863A3FAD2 |
|
treatment provided by |
Felipe |
|
scientific name |
Didemnum corium |
| status |
sp. nov. |
Didemnum corium View in CoL sp. nov.
( Figures 6C,D, 15F View Figure 15 , 19G View Figure 19 )
Distribution
Type locality: Tasmania ( Port Davey , Bathurst Channel, Beebee Point, 6–8 m on silt, coll. K. Gowlett Holmes, 12 March 2003, holotype SAM E3249 View Materials ) .
Description
In preservative, the colony is a circular grey slab, the colour resulting from black faecal pellets mixed with white spicules. A few sessile common cloacal apertures are on the surface and occasionally these seem to be extended into large openings extending along one of the common cloacal canals. This is apparent only and results from the absence of spicules or other test inclusions in the thin roof of the common cloacal canal. Spicules are evenly distributed in the surface and on the base of the colony and in the lining of the deep primary and posterior abdominal common cloacal cavities. They are large, to 0.1 mm diameter and have seven to nine robust pointed rays in optical transverse section. Thoraces are clumped together and are surrounded by the primary common cloacal cavities but the abdomina are embedded in the basal test. Sometimes the primary common cloacal cavities penetrate the clump of thoraces, separating them from one another in independent spicule-filled test sheaths. Some debris is embedded in the basal test. In life, colonies are white cushions with large common cloacal apertures around the margin.
Zooids are small with a fine tapering retractor muscle. The atrial opening is wide but lacks any atrial lip. Four or five vascular stolons project into the test from the concave ventral aspect of the gut loop. The colony is in vegetative phase, with oesophageal buds. Gonads were not detected.
Remarks
The species is distinguished by its large spicules with relatively few rays in optical transverse section and their absence from some parts of the colony. Didemnum microthoracicum Kott, 2001 has similar spicules but they are crowded throughout the colony rather than being confined to certain layers as they are in the present species; and it has a quilted pattern on the colony surface.
| SAM |
South African Museum |
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