Botryllus niger ( Herdman, 1886 )

Monniot, Françoise & Monniot, Claude, 2001, Ascidians from the tropical western Pacific, Zoosystema 23 (2), pp. 201-383 : 313

Botryllus niger ( Herdman, 1886)

Botrylloides nigrum Herdman, 1886: 50 , pl. 1, fig. 8; pl. 3, figs 19; 20. Type locality: Bermuda .

Botryllus niger – Michaelsen 1919b: 105.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Mariana Islands. Guam, Apra Harbour, off Buoys, 0-3 m, 12. VI.1998 ( MNHN S1 BOT.B 189).

Botryllus perspicuus ( Herdman, 1886) ( Fig. 126D )

Botrylloides perspicuum Herdman, 1886: 45 . Type locality: Philippines. — Sluiter 1904: 101. — Kott & Goodbody 1982: 532, Hong Kong. — Kott 1985: 278 part, except the synonymy and, pl. VIe, Australia. — Sanamyan & Sanamyan 1999: 1860, Tasmania, 160- 170 m.

Botryllus firmus Monniot F. & Monniot C., 1996: 238 , fig. 48, pl. 8C, D, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Papua New Guinea. Louisiade Archipelago, Calvados Island Chain, Brooker Channel, overhang, 11°03.09’S, 152°28.62’E, 7 m, 1. VI.1998 ( MNHN S1 BOT.B 192). — Louisiade Archipelago, Calvados Island Chain, Brooker Channel, 11°03.09’S, 152°28.62’E, 12 m, 1. VI.1998 ( MNHN S1 BOT.B 193). — Milne Bay Province, Reef SE of Drawari Island, 10°18.03’S, 151°03.94’E, 12 m, 6. VI.1998 (Sample: CRRF). — South coast, Coutance Island on barrier reef, 10°13.80’S, 148°06.87’E, 31 m, 13. VI.1998 ( MNHN S1 BOT.B 191). — Coral Sea, Eastern Fields, 10°09.35’S, 145°33.92’E, 19 m, 15. VI.1998 ( MNHN S1 BOT.B 195). — Milne Bay Province, East Cape, Boia Boia Waga Island, 10°12.26’S, 150°44.75’E, 19 m, 27. V.1998 (Sample: CRRF).

DESCRIPTION

The colonies are very variable in life. They are thick crusts of a firm consistency in which the zooids form a design in meandriform ladders ( Fig. 126D ). The colour is extremely variable: pale yellow, cream with brown apertures, pink, green, and even red. When preserved in formalin the colonies become translucent with brown circles around the oral siphons. Between the zooid systems the tunic appears spotted, and this pigmentation persists after preservation. When fixed, the surface above the double rows of zooids is depressed. This variability caused an erroneous identification by Monniot F. & Monniot C. (1996) as B. firmus , which can now be corrected from the study of new material. All anatomical characters in the present collection correspond well to the description given by Monniot F. & Monniot C. (1996: fig. 48). The nourishing zooids may have small testes or not. Buds of the first order carry well-developed testes but no ovaries. The ovaries are found only in buds of the second order. Most of the second order buds regress before reaching full maturity.

Figures

FIG. 126. — A,?Phallusia obesa (Herdman, 1880); B, Phallusia philippinensis Millar, 1975; C, Phallusia sp.; D, Botryllus perspicuus (Herdman, 1886); E, Botryllus tyreus (Herdman, 1886); F, Eusynstyela hartmeyeri Michaelsen, 1904.