Lissoclinum punctatum Kott, 1977

Hirose, Euichi & Nozawa, Yoko, 2020, Fig. 6 in Bruggmanniella sanlianensis Lin, Yang & Tokuda, 2020, sp. nov., Zoological Studies 59 (19), pp. 1-11 : 4

Lissoclinum punctatum Kott, 1977

Specimens: NMNS-8141-012 (Gongzibi), -013 (Jialeshuei).

Colonies were irregularly shaped, fragile sheets ( Fig. 3F ). They were entirely green due to Prochloron cells in the common cloacal cavity and tunic. Most the Prochloron cells in the tunic were located in the tunic cells, i.e., tunic phycocytes ( Hirose et al. 1996) ( Fig. 3G ). Intracellular distribution of the cyanobacterial cells is unique to L. punctatum , and photosymbionts are not associated with any tunic cells in the other host ascidians harboring cyanobacteria in the tunic (reviewed in Hirose 2015). Tunic spicules were globular and densely aggregated around each zooid ( Fig. 3H ). This is a new record of L. punctatum from Taiwan.

Figures

Fig. 3. Lissoclinum and Trididemnum species. (A, B), Lissoclinum bistratum at Gonzibi (A, colony; B, tunic spicules). (C–E), Lissoclinum midui at Gonzibi (C, colony; D, thorax; E, tunic spicules). (F–H), Lissoclinum punctatum at Gonzibi (F, colony; G tunic phycocyte; H, tunic spicules). (I–L), Trididemnum clinides at Shimen (I, colony; J, tunic spicules; K, unicellular cyanobacteria in the tunic; L, filamentous, multicellular cyanobacteria in the tunic). (M–P), Trididemnum cyclops at Shimen (M, colony; N, tunic spicules; O, enlargement of colony surface showing a zooid; P, thorax). Arrows in O and P indicate pigmentation at the top of endostyle (pigment cap). an, anus; fp, fecal pellet; g, greenish cyanobacteria; n, nucleus of tunic phycocyte; r, reddish cyanobacterium; un, unknown organ. Scale bars: B, E, G, H, J–L, N, and O = 20 µm; D and P = 0.1 mm; O = 0.2 mm.