Synoicum floriferum Monniot & Monniot, 2006

Monniot, Françoise, 2012, Some ascidians from the southern coast of Madagascar collected during the “ AtimoVatae ” survey, Zootaxa 3197, pp. 1-42 : 13-14

Synoicum floriferum Monniot & Monniot, 2006

( Figure 10 )

Synoicum floriferum Monniot F. & Monniot C., 2006: 128 , figs 9, 25B, Madagascar and Mozambique.

Stations. all included in MNHN: A1 SYN 116.

TA 35 and TA 37, 2 colonies. TA 44, 1 colony. TR 6, 6 colonies. TR 7, 2 colonies.

All colonies have a same aspect: very gelatinous with a red tunic and clear zooids seen in transparency and arranged in circular systems ( Fig. 10 A). The shape varies from flat cushions to upright round lobes laterally flattened with a narrow base ( Fig. 10 B). The zooids up to 15mm in length are embedded in a mucous sheet. The oral siphon has 6 lobes. The tubular atrial opening is dorsally prolonged by a stout languet with a pointed or bi-dentate tip. The narrow thorax has 14 to 18 rows of stigmata. The stomach is spherical and smooth walled. The post-abdomen is very long. The testis and the ovary do not mature simultaneously, they are rarely found together in a same zooid. The ovary is located at some distance from the gut loop and anterior to the testis vesicles when present. The testis, in an irregular double row of dense vesicles, occupies the anterior half of the post-abdomen. The larvae ( Fig. 10 C) 0.8 to 1mm long are described here for the first time. The tail in half of a turn is folded on the side of the trunk. Three adhesive papillae are separated by 2 long vesicles and sided by a shorter one. The internal structure is obscured by a red pigment.

The distribution of this species is restricted to the Mozambique channel and the south of Madagascar.

Figures

FIGURE 10. Synoicum floriferum: A, in situ colony (photo P. Laboute); B, colony in formalin; C, larva. Scale bars: B = 2 cm; C = 0.5 mm.