New records of two species of colonial ascidians - Aplidium brevilarvacium Kott, 1963 and Aplidium distaplium Kott, 1992 from Indian Waters

V.K. Meenakshia*and S. Sentham

Abstract

From Indian waters only three genera - Sidnyum, Polyclinum and Aplidium of the family Polyclinidae has been reported by earlier workers. Two species - Sidnyum indicum, S. pentatrema of the genus Sidnyum, six species - Polyclinum indicum, P. madrasensis, P. constellatum, P. fungosum, P. nudum and P. saturnium of the genus Polyclinum and one species - Aplidium multiplicatum of the genus Aplidium has been recorded. In the present survey of ascidians along the Gulf of Mannar coast two more species - Aplidium brevilarvacium and Aplidium distaplium belonging to the genus Aplidium of the family Polyclinidae is being reported for the first time from Indian waters. Key to the species of genus Aplidium recorded from India is given with detailed descriptions of the new records.