Aplidiopsis tubiferus

Aplidiopsis tubiferus Monniot F., 2001

(Figures 11, 12A)

Aplidiopsis tubiferus Monniot C. et al., 2001:14 figs 1C,11A–C, Kwazulu-Natal and Mozambique.

Stations. TA 12, 4 colonies. TA 26, 1 colony. (MNHN A1 APL.A 25) Madagascar, Tulear, Vasseur col. (MNHN: A1 APL.A 24).

The colonies are club-shaped dull orange (Fig. 12A) or brown in formalin. The largest colony has a 9cm long head on a peduncle 1.5cm long; smaller colonies have a proportionally longer peduncle. The tunic is soft, slightly transparent, without sand inside the head but some is in the stalk. Sometimes sand grains are found superficially at the oral apertures making obvious the zooid arrangement in circular systems. The anatomy corresponds to the original description. The atrial siphon forms a tube with a short languet (Fig. 11 B). A papilla is protruding dorsally at the base of the atrial tube. The thin branchial sac (Fig. 11 A) contains 11 to 12 rows of stigmata. The gut loop is not twisted and the stomach wall is smooth. The post-abdomen starts after a constriction. It is long with a central ovary in the middle of a bunch of testis vesicles. No larvae have been found.

The colonies of A. tubiferus have the same shape and can be mistaken with Polyclinum pedicellatum and Polyclinum tingens without dissection (see these species below).

The distribution of A. tubiferus is restricted to Madagascar and Natal.