Redescription of the deep-sea colonial ascidian Synoicum molle (Herdman, 1886): first record since its original finding during the Challenger Expedition

By

Maggioni, Tamara
Taverna, Anabela
Tatián, Marcos, 1966-

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2016

Original Publication

Zoosystematics and evolution

Volume

92

Series / Issue

Issue: 2

Pages

181--185

Subjects

Ascidiacea , continental slope , southwestern Atlantic

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia Pensoft

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zse.92.9521

 

Abstract

The colonial ascidian Synoicum molle (Herdman, 1886) was recorded for the first time after its original description. The slope area where S. molle was discovered during the Challenger Expedition (1872-1876), located at the mouth off Río de La Plata (Argentine Sea), still remains highly underexplored. During a series of deep-sea prospections along the SW Atlantic (A.R.A. Puerto Deseado, August 2012), 7 colonies of S. molle were collected few km from the type locality. The finding permitted to perform, for the first time, a complete morphological description of this species. The proper identification of marine species, especially deep-sea organisms, has implications for the general knowledge of biodiversity, a necessary tool for the conservation and study of ecosystem benefits that marine environments provide.