Polycarpa papillata Sluiter, 1885

Monniot, Francoise, 2021, New records of deep-sea ascidians (Tunicata, Ascidiacea) from the New Caledonia region, Zootaxa 4996 (3), pp. 443-468 : 455-456

Polycarpa papillata Sluiter, 1885

Figure 12

Stations: Kanacono DW 4717; DW 4717; DW 4730. Six specimens.

The body is elongated in all specimens with a brown leathery tunic harder posteriorly where it makes a kind of peduncle ( Fig. 12A ). The oral siphon is apical slightly turned outward, the atrial siphon is somewhat posterior protruding a short distance away from the oral siphon. Removed from the tunic the body appears in two parts ( Fig. 12B ) the major one anterior containing the main organs and a posterior bulbous segment filled with body wall tissue. There are numerous long oral tentacles. The dorsal tubercle opens anteriorly in a U and located in a deep V of the prepharyngeal band. The 4 branchial folds per side are well separated ( FIG. 12D ). One formula on the right side is: E- 4(13)4(20)4(20)4(15)1-DL

Parastigmatic vessels are present. The branchial sac does not penetrate into the posterior segment of the body. The digestive loop vertically oriented ( Fig. 12C ) is loosely attached to the body wall. The olive-shaped stomach has internal longitudinal ridges. The anus rim in two lips is fringed with a series of long lobes. The gonads are numerous ( Fig. 12C ), about 16 on each side, distributed without precise design. Each polycarp contains an ovary sided by a row of testis vesicles; the genital papillae are joined and short. A large surface of the body wall wears endocarps, including some present inside the gut loop. No velum or tentacles have been found at the atrial aperture.

The present specimens correspond to those described from Indonesia in Monniot & Monniot (2001). They differ from Polycarpa reviviscens Monniot & Monniot, 2001 which has the same posterior body extension but the zooids are aggregated in clumps and have polycarps of different shape.

Polycarpa producta Monniot & Monniot, 2003 from the Caledonian basin is very similar in shape to P. papillata described above but differs by more numerous endocarps and less polycarps arranged in a line.

Figures

FIGURE 12. Polycarpa papillata. A, two specimens; B, specimen without tunic; C, body ventrally opened; D, branchial tissue. Scale bars = 1cm.