Perophora multiclathrata (Sluiter, 1904)

(Figure 13)

Ecteinascidia multiclathrata Sluiter, 1904: 12

Perophora multiclathrata: Kott, 1985: 106 fig. 4 and synonymy; Nishikawa, 1986: 31 fig. 1; Nishikawa 1991: 38; Monniot C. 1987: 24; Monniot C. 1997: 562; Kott 1992: 634; Kott 2003: 1635. Perophora formosana (Oka: 1931: 173): Monniot C. 1983:57; Goodbody, 1994: 181 fig. 4 pl. 1.

Material. Indonesia. West Papua, Gam Island, Danau Hidden Gam marine lake, 00°26.959’S – 130°30.071’E, 0.5m, 09/XII/2007, coll. L.J. Bell and L.E. Martin, DHG 0 18 (MNHN P2 PER 89); West Papua, Gam Island, Danau Nine Gam marine lake, 00°26.170’S – 130°29.149’E, 0–2m, 02/XII/2007, coll. L.J. Bell and L.E. Martin, DNG 004-2 (MNHN P2 PER 90)

Well spaced tiny zooids arise from long thin stolons (Fig. 13). The pale translucent yellow body is no more than 3mm in length. The oral aperture is terminal, the atrial siphon antero-dorsal, both sessile with 8 lobes. An unperforated area lies in front of the 5 stigmatal rows. The stomach is particularly long. This small species is characterised by a single horizontal muscle bundle crossing each side in its middle and dividing into two parts to enclose the atrial siphon (Monniot C. 1997 fig. 2B). This muscular pattern distinguishes P. multiclathrata from P.longigaster Monniot & Monniot, 2008 which has also a long stomach but longitudinal muscles.

P. multiclathrata is widely distributed in warm shallow waters of all oceans.