Gynandrocarpa placenta

(Michaelsen, W. 1904)
Phylum Chordata
Class Ascidiacea
Order Stolidobranchia
Family Styelidae
  • Colonies generally consist of large (10 x10 cm in diameter up to 3-5 cm thick) fleshy disk on a thin short brown wrinkled stalk.
  • Colonies are cream or pink in colour.
  • Zooids open separately on the surface of the colony.
  • The inner test is gelatinous and semi- transparent.
  • Zooids are robust (5-8 mm) and arranged in outer layer of the test.
  • Branchial sac has 3 folds on each side, longitudinal vessels form meshes with 2-5 stigmata.
  • Stomach with 20 longitudinal folds.
  • On the interior of the body wall are large endocarps.
  • The gonads are situated on the left side at the bottom of the cloacal cavity, with the ova between two long testis follicles.
© 2010 Shirley Parker-Nance 2010-09-25 10-54-09_0044.JPG © 2010 Shirley Parker-Nance 2010-09-25 11-03-47_0071.JPG © 2010 Shirley Parker-Nance 2010-10-09 21-04-27_0132.JPG © 2011 Tim Parker-Nance 2011-11-18 11-10-41_0033.JPG © 2013 Tim Parker-Nance 2013-05-23 148.JPG

References
  • Millar, R. H. 1962 Further descriptions of South African ascidians56:113-221
  • Monniot, C.; Monniot, F.; Griffiths, C. and Schleyer, M. 2001 Ascidians of South Africa.108:1-141