Pseudodistoma gracile Kott, 1992a

Kott, Patricia, 2006, Observations on non-didemnid ascidians from Australian waters (1), Journal of Natural History 40 (3 - 4), pp. 169-234 : 192

Pseudodistoma gracile Kott, 1992a

( Figure 9A )

Pseudodistoma gracilum Kott 1992a, p 433 and synonymy.

Distribution

Previously recorded (see Kott 1992a): South Australia (Great Australian Bight, Investigator Group, Kangaroo I.); Victoria (Beachport, Western Port ); New South Wales ( Jervis Bay , Port Jackson ); Queensland (Great Barrier Reef); New Caledonia. New records: South Australia ( Kangaroo Is , 8–10 m, SAM E3270 ); Tasmania (Maria Is; Port Davey , 4– 6 m, SAM E3269 ).

The new records from Tasmania are the most southerly locations yet recorded for this species.

Description

The colonies have the robust, contractile zooids of the usual form entangled in the soft, disintegrating mucus-like test as described previously.

Remarks

Although colonies and zooids resemble those of the Japanese P. fragile Tokioka, 1958 , the present species broods only a single embryo at a time, while the Japanese species has a long brood pouch with up to five embryos being brooded at a time and a significantly longer larval trunk (see Kott 1992a). Like other species in this genus it is more often recorded from temperate locations than from tropical ones.

Figures

Figure 9. In situ images of: (A) Pseudodistoma gracile (SAM E3270); (B) Pseudodistoma inflatum (SAM E3297); (C) Pseudodistoma pilatum (SAM E3296); (D) Polyclinum incrustatum (SAM E3274); (E) Polyclinum marsupiale (SAM E2866); (F) Aplidiopsis confluata (SAM E3281); (G) Aplidiopsis confluata (SAM E3282); (H) Synoicum citrum (SAM E3277).