Eudistoma (Ascidiacea: Polycitoridae) from tropical Brazil

Abstract

We studied material in collections from coastal intertidal and subtidal tropical waters of the Brazilian states of Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Bahia, and Espírito Santo. We identified seven species of Eudistoma, of which two are new to science. Eudistoma alvearium sp. nov: colonies have fecal pellets around each zooid and zooids are 6-8 mm long with seven straight and parallel pyloric tubules; the larval trunk is 0.6 mm long with three adhesive papillae and ten ampullae. Eudistoma versicolor sp. nov: colonies are cushion-shaped, variable in color (blue, purple, brown, light green, gray or white) and zooids have six straight and parallel pyloric tubules; the larval trunk is 0.8 mm long with three adhesive papillae and six ampules. Three species - E. carolinense Van Name, 1945, E. recifense Millar, 1977, and E. vannamei Millar, 1977 - are known from northeastern Brazil. The identification of two additional species will require confirmation. We also propose a synonymy for E. carolinense with E. repens Millar, 1977, also previously described in Brazil.

Keywords

• Atlantic
• colonial ascidians
• new species
• taxonomy