Polyclinum isipingense smooth lobed

Sluiter, C. P. 1898
Phylum Chordata
Class Ascidiacea
Order Aplousobranchia
Family Polyclinidae
  • Colonies form thick grey, brown to greenish sandy cushion (2-5 cm thick and 10-25 cm in diameter).
  • The surfaces of large elaborate colonies may be undulating or form uneven shallow lobes.
  • The surface is encrusted with sand and shell particles but slight depression around small central elevation on the surface of the colony suggest the presence of the common cloacal systems.
  • Interiorly the zooids are arranges in the outer layer (darker layer) with gelatinous translucent test, with sparse fine sand particles interiorly.
  • The arrangement of the zooids in circular systems and the short raised central tubular common cloacal aperture is more conspicuous in undisturbed species viewed in situ.
  • Branchial opening with 6 pointing lobes and atrial opening posterior of long languet with small teeth along the distal margin.
  • Branchial sac with 11-15 rows of stigmata with papillae on transverse vessels.
  • Stomach round and surface smooth.
  • Thorax, abdomen and posterior-abdomen constricted off each other.
  • Posterior abdomen sac-like contain ova and male testes follicles.
  • Larva incubated in upper part of the oviduct.
  • Larval (trunk 0.5mm long) has 3 adhesive organs with single vesicle in-between flanked by 4 ampulla on each side.
© 2010 Shirley Parker-Nance 2010-09-25 11-02-38_0065.JPG © 2010 Shirley Parker-Nance 2010-10-09 20-33-16_0042.JPG © 2010 Shirley Parker-Nance 2010-10-10 23-36-26_0090.JPG © 1995 Philip Coetzee SAF95037Colony.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
  • Rius, M. and Teske, P. R. 2011 A revision of the Pyura stolonifera species complex (Tunicata, Ascidiacea), with a description of a new species from Australia2754:27-40
  • Sluiter, C. P. 1898 Beiträge zur Kennthiss der Fauna von Süd - Afrika. Ergebrisse einer Reise van Prof. Max Weber in Jahne 1894. II. Tunicaten von Süd - Afrika11:1-64