Cnemidocarpa irene ( Hartmeyer, 1906 )

Lambert, Gretchen, Lee, Serina Siew-Chen & Teo, Serena Lay-Ming, 2021, Ascidians collected during the 2013 Singapore Strait International Marine Biodiversity Workshop, Zootaxa 4933 (1), pp. 1-38 : 19-20

Cnemidocarpa irene ( Hartmeyer, 1906) NEW RECORD

#1192, only a single specimen collected during the survey, 3 cm in length. Tunic thick, whitish, surface irregularly tubercular with adherent debris and with a small Microcosmus helleri Herdman, 1881 (specimen #1172) attached. Internally the tunic has a white lining. Siphons short, inconspicuous in the contracted individual; in the freshly preserved specimen, after removal of the body from the tunic the siphon lining is red and white striped and mottled. Oral tentacles 49, more numerous than listed by Monniot C. (1991b) and Monniot F. (2018b), of two sizes, white with red cross-striping. Up to 15 stigmata/mesh between folds. Longitudinal vessels somewhat irregular, as in photos in Monniot F. (2018b). Branchial formula:

Right E3(9)3(10)3(8)3(5)4 DL3(7)4(9)4(9)4(8)3.

Stomach and proximal intestine orange. Stomach somewhat globular, not elongate, with numerous visible folds. The long rectum bends sharply to the anterior, ends anterior to the pole of the gut loop. Anal rim rolled back, with many shallow lobes. Three gonads on the right; one bifurcated gonad on left anterior to pole of gut; all gonads firmly attached to the body wall.

Widely distributed throughout the west Pacific as well as the tropical east Atlantic and Caribbean, where it was probably introduced: Hong Kong, Australia, Philippines, Fiji, Palau, Sri Lanka, Mariana Is., Japan, Indian Ocean, New Caledonia, Mozambique, Solomon Is., Tonga, Loyalty Is., Hawaii, Guam, Antilles, Cape Verde, Morocco, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Brazil.

Detailed references with illustrations: Van Name (1918 as Styela areolata Heller, 1878 ), Tokioka (1950 as Styela areolata ), Kott (1981, 1985 and 1992 as Cnemidocarpa areolata ), Kott & Goodbody (1982 as C. areolata ), Monniot C. (1983b as C. areolata, 1991b as C. valborg Hartmeyer, 1919 ), Monniot C. & Monniot F. (1991 as C. valborg ), 1994), Nishikawa (1991, synonymized C. valborg under C. irene ), Abbott et al. (1997 as C. areolata ), Monniot F. & Monniot C. (2003), Monniot F. (2018b). Other references: Monniot C. & Monniot F. (1984 as C. valborg ), Monniot C. (1988 as C. areolata, 2002 ), Kott (1998), Lambert (2003).