Abstract
Photosymbiotic ascidian fauna were surveyed in the subtidal zone off Pari Island in the Thousand Islands (Java Sea, Indonesia). Nine species were recorded: Didemnum molle, Trididemnum miniatum, Lissoclinum patella, L. punctatum, L. timorense, Diplosoma gumavirens, D. simile, D. simileguwa, and D. virens. All of these species have been previously recorded in the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan. Diplosoma gumavirens and D. simileguwa were originally described from the Ryukyu Archipelago in 2009 and 2005, respectively, and all of the observed species are potentially widely distributed in Indo–West Pacific coral reefs.
Highlights
Nine photosymbiotic ascidian species were found in the subtidal zone of the coral reef off Pari Island
All photosymbiotic ascidians described here have been recorded in the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan (Hirose 2013 and references therein)
D. simileguwa and D. gumavirens were originally described from the Ryukyus in 2005 and 2009, respectively
Summary
Photosymbiotic didemnids are sometimes more common than any other ascidians in shallow coral reefs, they are often overlooked because of their small size and cryptic habitats. They have been attractive sources of bioactive compounds for researchers in the biochemical and pharmaceutical sciences (e.g., Schmidt et al 2012). The ranges of distribution of individual species are less understood, as few faunal records of photosymbiotic ascidians exist (e.g., Kott 2001; Monniot and Monniot 2001) To identify these species, it is often necessary to examine zooid morphology under a microscope. Reexamination may be necessary for some records in older publications
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