Trididemnum Della Valle 1881, An Unrecorded Genus of Colonial Ascidian from India

3 Pages·2000·1.8 MB·

by  V K Meenakshi

MISCELLANEOUSNOTES
23. TRIDIDEMNUMDELLAVALLE 1881, ANUNRECORDED GENUS OF
COLONIAL ASCIDIAN FROM INDIA
(With one text-figure)
Theoccurrenceofthegenus Trididemnum stigmataineachrow.Thegutformsasingleloop
Della Valle 1881 is reported for the first time withasphericalstomachsituatedhalfwaydown
from India. A preliminary survey of the seas the abdomenandashortposteriorstomach. 8-10
adjoining the southeast coast from Tuticorin to bandsoflongitudinalmuscles. Testisundivided.
Rameswaram,carriedoutin 1993-1994,showed The proximal part ofthe vas deferens coils 4 to
thepresence of26 genera ofascidians. Ofthese, 5 times. No larva was observed in the single
21 genera have been reported prior to 1986 by colony studied (Fig. 1).
earlier workers (Oka 1915, Das 1938, 1940,
1945; Sebastian 1952, 1955, 1956;Renganathan
andMonniot 1984,Renganathan 1981, 1982a,b,
1984, 1986a,b,RenganathanandKrishnaswamy
1985),and4generahavebeenreportedrelatively
recently (Meenakshi and Renganathan 1997,
Meenakshi 1998/ The—present paper ad—ds one
more genus ofascidian Trididemnum as a
new record for Indian waters.
Trididemnum cerebriforme
Hartmeyer 1913
A single colony was collected from the
undersurfaceofcalcreterocksinthelittoralzone
ofErvadi (9° 11' N;-78° 43' E) (Fig. 1).
Description: Colony flat, encrusting,
irregular, measuring3 x2.5 cm, surface smooth,
tough, milky white with patches ofgreen cells.
The green colour changed to yellow on
preservation. Thesuperficialtesthas athinlayer
ofbladdercells. Belowthis is acontinuous layer
of spicules. The remaining part of the test has
sparsely distributed spicules, decreasing further
Fig. 1. Trididemnum cerebriforme- Zooid.
towards the base ofthe colony. Spicules large,
mm BA- Branchial aperture, E: Endostyle, T: Thorax,
measuring0.04-0.06 with9-12pointedrays. S: Stigmata, O: Oesophagus, R: Rectum,
Basal test thin, common cloacal aperture ST: Stomach, PS: PosteriorStomach.
conspicuous. Zooids 1.5-1.75 mm long. Both Scale: 1 cm= 0.125 mm
siphons well developed. Branchial siphon has
sphinctermuscles and 6- small lobes. The atrial Distribution: India (Ervadi - ZSI-AS 13).
siphon arises from the posterior dorsal surface PreviouslyrecordedfromSouthAfrica(Hartmeyer
ofthe thorax. Three rows ofstigmata, with 8-10 1913, Millar 1955); southernArabia (Kott 1957),
302 JOURNAL, BOMBAYNATURAL HISTORYSOCIETY. 97(2), AUG. 2000
MISCELLANEOUSNOTES
Australia(Kott 1962, 1972a,b, 1975, 1976); New characteristics ofthe present species.
Zealand (Michaelsen 1924); Philippines, Palau,
Acknowledgements
Mariana, Hawaii Islands (Tokioka 1967); Japan
Sea(Nishikawa 1990); Fiji (Kott 1981). I thank Dr. T.K. Renganathan, Professor
of Zoology, V.O. Chidambaram College,
Remarks Tuticorin for guidance and constant
encouragement, and the UGC, New Delhi for
Thenatureofthe colonyandthezooids of financial assistance.
thisspecimenareidenticalwiththosepreviously
described by Hartmeyer (1913), Millar (1955), December26, 1998 V.K. MEENAKSHI
and Kott (1976, 1981). The milky white Department ofZoology,
appearance of the colonies, the posterior APCMahalaxmi Collegefor Women/
abdominal cloacal cavity, and the size of the Tuticorin 628 002,
spicules, their form and distribution, are TamilNadu, India.
ReferENCES
Das, S.M. (1938): OnEcteinascidia bombayensis n. sp. VictoriaandacomparisonwiththatofPortPhillip
(AnewAscidianfromBombay).Proc.Ind.Acad. Bay.Mem.natn.Mus. Viet. 37:53-96.
Das, SS.cMi..8(:1299450-)3:00O.n Herdmania (Rhabdocynthia) Kott,PL.i(n1n9.8S1o):c.ThNe.aS.sciWdi1a0n5s:of14t7he-2r1e2e.fflatsofFiji.Proc.
enmurensis n.sp. (A new monascidian from Meenakshi, V.K. (1998): Occurrence ofa new ascidian
—
Madras).Proc.Ind.Acad.Sci. IP.50-60. species— Distaplia nathensis sp. nov. and two
Das,S.M.(1945): Onacollectionofmonascidiansfrom species Eusynstyela tincta (VanName 1902),
Madras.J. Roy. AsiaticSoc. Bengal, Science IP. Phallusia nigra (Savigny 1816) new records for
6-17. Indianwaters.IndianJ.Mar. Sci. 27:All-419.
DellaValle,A. (1881):Nouvi contribuzionialiastoria Meenakshi, V.K. & T.K. Renganathan (1997): On the
naturalledelleascidiecompostedelGolfadiNapole. occurrenceofararesimpleascidian,Rhodosoma
Mem.Acad. Lincei. 10:431-498. tarcicum(Savigny1816)fromIndia.GeobiosNew
Hartmeyer,R.(1913):Tunicata.In:L.Schultze,Zool.U. Reports 16: 152-153.
anthropErgebnisseeForschangsreiseinSudafrika. Michaelsen, W. (1924): Ascidiae Krikobranchiae von
Bd5,Lft2.Denkschr. med. naturw. Ges.Jena. 17. Newseeland, den Chatham und den Auckland
125-144. Inseln. Vidensk.Medd.dansk. naturb.Foren.Kbh.
Kott, P. (1957): Ascidians of Australia II. 11: 263-434.
AplousobranchiataLahille;ClavelinidaeForbesand Millar, R.H. (1955): On acollectionofascidians from
Hanley and Polyclinidae Verrill. Aust. J. mar. SouthAfrica.Proc.Zool.Soc.Lond. 125: 169-221.
Freshwat. Res., 8:64-110. Nishikawa,T. (1990): TheascidiansoftheJapan Sea 1.
Kott, P. (1962): The Ascidians of Australia III. T. Pubis.Sctomar. biol.Lab. 11:91-142.
Aplousobranchiata Lahille; Didemnidae Giard. Oka,A.(1915):ReportupontheTunicatainthecollection
Aust.J. mar.Freshwat. Res. 13:265-334. oftheIndianMuseum.Mem.IndianMus. 6: 1-33.
Kott,P. (1972a): Somesublittoralascidiansin Moreton Renganathan,T.K.(1981):Ontheoccurrenceofacolonial
Bayandtheirseasonaloccurrence.Mem. Qd.Mus. ascidian,Didemnumpsammathodes(Sluiter1895)
16:233-260. fromIndia. Curr.Sci. 50:922.
Kott, P. (1972b): ThefaunaoftheGulfofCarpentaria: Renganathan, T.K. (1982a): On the occurrence of a
No.2,Ascidiacea(Chordata: Tunicata).Fish.Notes colonialascidian,Lissoclinumfragile(VanName
Qd. (n.s) 2: 39-54. 1902)fromIndia.Curr.Sci. 51: 149.
Kott, P. (1975): The ascidians ofSouth Australia III. Renganathan, T.K. (1982b): New record ofa genusof
NorthernsectoroftheGreatAustralianBightand colonialascidianfromIndiaCurr.Sci.51: 253-254.
additionalrecords. Trans.R.Soc.S.Aust. 99: 1-20. Renganathan,T.K.(1984):Redescriptionofararecolonial
Kott, P. (1976): Ascidian fauna ofWestern Port Bay, ascidian,BotrylloideschevalenseHerdman 1906.
JOURNAL, BOMBAYNATURAL HISTORYSOCIETY, 97(2), AUG. 2000 303
.
MISCELLANEOUSNOTES
GeobiosNewReports3: 15 8-160. Sebastian,V.O.(1952):Anewspeciesofsynascidianfrom
Renganathan,T.K.(1986a):Eudistomalakshmianisp.n. Madras.Curr. Sci. 21:316-317.
a new colonial ascidian from Tuticorin coast of Sebasti—an,V.O.(1955):Perophoralisteriiindicavar.nova
India. GeobiosNewReports5: 163-164. anewascidianfromtheMadrascoastofIndia.
Renganathan,T.K.(1986b): Studiesontheascidiansof Zool.Anz. 154:266-268.
South India. Ph.D. Thesis, Madurai Kamaraj Sebastian,V.O.(1956):SymplegmavirideHerdmanand
University,Madurai. SymplegmaviridestolonicaBerrill,twounrecorded
Renganathan, T.K. & S. Krishnaswamy (1985): Some foulingorganismsfrom Indianseas.J. Timb. Dry
ascidians from Indianwaters. IndianJ. Mar. Sci. Preserv.Ass.India. II:2-4.
14:38-41 Tokjoka,T.(1967):PacificTunicataoftheUnitedStates
Renganathan, T.K. & F. Monniot (1984): Addition to National Museum. Bull. U.S. natn. Mus. 251:
AscidianfaunaofIndia,Bull.Mus.natn.Hist.nat. 1-242.
Paris4eser.6A:257-262.
24. RANGE EXTENSION FOR STROMBUSPLICATUSSIBBALDI(SOWERBY)
(MOLLUSCA MESOGASTROPODA STROMBIDAE)
: :
The Phylum Mollusca is well represented Diagnosis: Size: 35-40 mm. Among the
along the Indian coast. Most of the available smaller species; spires very tall and slender on
literature is old and based on collections made large body whorl. Each spire bears two strong
in the late 18th or early 19th century. It is, vertical ribs with many fine riblets. Both lips
therefore, desirabletoupdatethe informationon stronglyserratedoninnermargin. Colour:White
the status and distribution ofIndian molluscs. with brown mottling. Aperture white with light
As a result ofa survey along the Gulfof brown transverse striae.
Kutch in 1993, 1 came across a shell which was Distribution: The species was previously
identified as Strombus plicatus sibbaldi reported from the Bay of Bengal and northern
(Sowerby). More specimens were collected Indian Ocean.
during subsequent surveys along this Gulf. The Status: Rare.
literaturegivesitsdistributionastheeasterncoast
of India, there being no record of its presence January 27, 1999 DEEPAKAPTE
along the west coast. Bombay Natural History Society,
Locality: Okha and Mithapur along the Hornbill House, S.B. Singh Road,
GulfofKutch. Mumbai 400 023, Maharashtra, India.
25. NEW RECORD OFASTENOCYPR1SPAPYRACEA (SARS 1903),
(CRUSTACEA, OSTRACODA) FROM WEST BENGAL, INDIA
(With eleven text-figures)
While studying zooplankton in the to Class Ostracoda, Subclass Podocopa and
freshwaters of West Bengal, Astenocypris Order Podocopida. Muller (1912) changed the
papyracea (Sars 1903) was found in one ofthe genus name Leptocypris to Astenocypris under
collectionsandisdescribedandillustratedinthis the Subfamily Herpetocypridinae. Hartman and
note. Astenocypris papyracea (Sars 1903) was Puri (1974) referred the genus to Subfamily
first described from Sumatra and many other Dolerocypridinae. Victor and Fernando (1981)
authors worked on this species, which belongs suggested that the genus Astenocypris does not
304 JOURNAL, BOMBAYNATURAL HISTORYSOCIETY, 97(2), AUG. 2000