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Issue: Vol. 528 No. 1: 26 May. 2004
Type: Article
Published: 2004-05-26
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.528.1.1
Page range: 1–8
Abstract views: 43
PDF downloaded: 3

The non-indigenous stolidobranch ascidian Polyandrocarpa zorritensis in the Mediterranean: description, larval morphology and pattern of vascular budding

c/o Municipal Museum of Natural History, S. Croce 1730, I-30135 Venezia (Italy)
Dipartimento di Zoologia, Università di Bari, Via Orabona 4, I-70125 Bari (Italy)
Ascidiacea indigenous ascidian Mediterranean Sea Polyandrocarpa zorritensis vegetative replication morphology vascular budding larvae

Abstract

The stolidobranch ascidian Polyandrocarpa zorritensis was detected, for the third time in the Mediterranean, in the harbour of Taranto (South Italy). Colonies develop vigorously on all hard substrata in shallow water and now represent one of the most important elements of the local fouling community. In this article specimens of the Mediterranean populations of the species are described. The morphology of the larva, which differs from that of other Polyzoinae, and a vascular budding mechanism of replication, similar to that known to occur in the Botryllinae, were both observed for the first time.

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