Aplidium caelestis Monniot, 1987

Kott, Patricia, 2006, Observations on non-didemnid ascidians from Australian waters (1), Journal of Natural History 40 (3 - 4), pp. 169-234 : 204

Aplidium caelestis Monniot, 1987

Aplidium caelestis Monniot 1987, p 517 . Kott 1992a, p 528 and synonymy.

Distribution

Previously recorded (see Kott 1992a): Western Australia (Shark Bay, Mullalloo Beach, Rottnest I., Hillary’s Boat Harbour); South Australia (St Vincent Gulf, Spencer Gulf); Victoria (Bass Strait); New South Wales (Norfolk I.); Queensland (Capricorn Group); New Caledonia; Marianas Is. New record: Queensland (south-eastern coast, QM G321403).

Description

The newly recorded specimen is a robust, thick slab overgrowing ascidians and other organisms. Sessile common cloacal apertures occur at the junctions of the long canals that are lines on each side. Sand is crowded in the colony, especially in the ridge that protrudes from the surface between the rows of zooids, although it is absent from the surface over the common cloacal canals. In the preserved specimens oval masses of black granular bodies also are in the test between the rows of zooids. Zooids have pale yellow thoraces, yelloworange abdomina, and white posterior abdomina (with two rows of male follicles). The atrial tongue is well separated from the aperture.

Remarks

Generally the newly recorded colony resembles those previously described. The sandy test, long double rows of yellowish zooids, dark granular bodies, long narrow zooids with conspicuous siphons, separate atrial tongue and a narrow gut loop with a small five-folded stomach appear to be characteristic.

The geographic range of this species, from Western Pacific tropical locations to Australian temperate waters, is vast. It appears to be one of the species that can be said to use the Australian coast as a bridge between tropical and temperate waters.