Open AccessA striking colony morphotype of Aplidium proliferum (Milne Edwards, 1841) (Ascidiacea: Polyclinidae) from the Strait of Gibraltar.
Author(s) -
Alfonso A. RamosEsplá,
Óscar Ocaña
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
mediterranean marine science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.734
H-Index - 38
eISSN - 1791-6763
pISSN - 1108-393X
DOI - 10.12681/mms.1940
Subject(s) - zooid , genus , bryozoa , biology , tunicate , fishery , zoology , ecology , taxonomy (biology)
An unusual colonial ascidian with 1-2m in length, belonging to the genus Aplidium (Ascidiacea: Polyclinidae), has been sampled from the Strait of Gibraltar (Ras Leona, Morocco). The characteristics of the colony, zooids and larvae point us to A. proliferum. The species seems common in the NE Atlantic from the Shetland Islands to Mediterranean Sea, but it never has observed the size of colonies as found in this area, the Strait is the largest so far reported, which it is probably represents one of the longest ascidian worldwide.