Leptoclinides imperfectus ( Kott, 1962 )

Kott, Patricia, 2005, New and little-known species of Didemnidae (Ascidiacea, Tunicata) from Australia (Part 3), Journal of Natural History 39 (26), pp. 2409-2479 : 2420-2421

Leptoclinides imperfectus ( Kott, 1962)

( Figure 18C )

Askonides imperfectus Kott 1962, p 294 .

Leptoclinides imperfectus: Kott 2001, p 65 and synonymy.

Distribution

Previously recorded (see Kott 2001): Western Australia (Albany); South Australia ( Great Australian Bight , Spencer Gulf , St Vincent Gulf ); Tasmania ( Waterford Bay ). New record: Tasmania ( Tasman Peninsula , SAM E3243 ) .

Description

The newly recorded colony is a fleshy slab with a more or less even surface raised into rounded elevations about 0.5 cm apart, each with a terminal common cloacal aperture. A thin superficial layer of bladder cells mixed with spicules is on the upper surface and spicules are evenly distributed through the remainder of the colony although they become sparser toward the base. In the newly recorded specimen spicules are to 0.07 mm and have 9–11 pointed or chisel-shaped rays in optical transverse section. Three clumps of spicules are in each siphon lining. Zooids are tightly enclosed in test and are difficult to remove from it. The branchial siphon is funnel-shaped and the atrial aperture short, cylindrical and posteriorly orientated. The gut loop is bent up into a double loop. Gonads were not detected.

Remarks

The evenly spaced and quite crowded surface elevations each with a terminal common cloacal aperture are characteristic of this species.

Figures

Figure 18. In situ images of: (A) Leptoclinides decoratus (SAM E3257); (B) Leptoclinides frustus (SAM E3255, holotype); (C) Leptoclinides imperfectus (SAM E3243); (D) Leptoclinides lissus QM G308709); (E) Leptoclinides rigidus (QM G308708); (F) Leptoclinides seminudus (SAM E3264); (G) Polysyncraton cuculliferum (QM G308715); (H) Polysyncraton galaxum (SAM E3261).