Polycarpa flava Kott, 1985

Kott, Patricia, 2006, Observations on non-didemnid ascidians from Australian waters (1), Journal of Natural History 40 (3 - 4), pp. 169-234 : 216-217

Polycarpa flava Kott, 1985

Polycarpa flava Kott 1985, p 165 and synonymy.

Distribution

Previously recorded (see Kott 1985): South Australia (Great Australian Bight, Spencer and St Vincent Gulf, Kingston); Victoria (Point Nepean, Cape Woolamai, Bass Strait). Tasmania (Orford). New records: Tasmanian Canyons (King I. Canyon, 249 m, 348 m; Banks Strait, 168 m) .

Description

The body shape is variable in this species, sometimes being stalked, and other specimens being sessile, fixed by basal roots and props. The test is dark brown in preservative and a thin layer of sand is in the surface. Large colourless vesicles are in the muscular body wall, the gut always enclosed a teardrop-shaped endocarp, small rounded lobes are around the anal rim and flask-shaped gonads are in the pallial body wall.

Remarks

The species appears to be a common component of the benthic fauna in the southeastern part of the continent. It is distinguished mainly from other robust species in the pedunculata group of this genus by its black to black-brown colour.