Polycarpa argentata ( Sluiter, 1890 )

Monniot, Françoise, 2010, Some new data on tropical western Pacific Ascidians, Zootaxa 2561 (1), pp. 1-29 : 19-20

Polycarpa argentata ( Sluiter, 1890)

( Figure 20B , 22)

Styela argentata Sluiter,1890: 340 .

Polycarpa argentata: Monniot F. & Monniot C. 1996:247 Fig. 52, pl. 8h and synonymy; 2001: 322 Fig. 128A; Monniot C. 2002: 79 Fig. 11.

Material. Coll. N.J. Pilcher et al., Viet Nam, Con Dao Isl. , Con Son Isl., Da Trang ,, 0°3943’N– 106°34.37’E, 5m, 23/VII/2008, 0PHG 1603-Z ( MNHN S1 POL. B 553 )

The specimens 7 cm in length are covered with various epibionts ( Fig. 20B ). The brown tunic is thick but flexible. The body wall is opaque and brown. A dozen oral tentacles are intercalated with smaller ones. The branchial sac has 4 folds on each side, the first against the dorsal lamina is reduced ( Fig. 22) and disappear posteriorly. The gut is linked to the body wall by only a few trabeculae. Three endocarps lie in the gut loop. Numerous round polycarps are distributed on the body wall. The gonads are embedded in the body wall, male and female papillae are joined and not protruding.

The species is widely distributed, in the tropical Pacific and Indian oceans.

Figures

FIGURE 20. A: Amphicarpa duploplicata. B: Polycarpa argentata. C: Polycarpa mytiligera. D: Microcosmus exasperatus.