The ascidian (subphylum Tunicata: class Ascidiacea) fauna along the southern African coast constitutes an important component of the sessile benthic reef fauna. Little is known of the species composition, biodiversity and distribution of ascidians on southern African intertidal and subtidal reefs. Past research on the ascidian fauna of South Africa was sporadic and limited, with only about one hundred and seventy species recorded during the last one hundred and twenty years. This is the first taxonomic study undertaken by a South African resident scientist. The study focused on six genera in four families (Euherdmaniidae, Polyclinidae, Pseudodistomidae and Didemnidae) belonging to the class Ascidiacea and suborder Aplousobranchia. Five species new to science, two Polyclinum, two Pseudodistoma and one Polysyncraton species are described. New additional information on the distribution of five species previously known to science, including one recorded for the first time along the South African coast, is presented. A literature review and comparison of the taxonomic important characteristics is made of all species known globally for the six genera. These six genera comprise twelve Euherdmania, fifteen Aplidiopsis, forty Polyclinum thirty-one Pseudodistoma, six Atriolum and sixty-eight Polysyncraton species.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:nmmu/vital:11078 |
| Date | January 2003 |
| Creators | Parker-Nance, Shirley |
| Publisher | University of Port Elizabeth, Faculty of Science |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis, Doctoral, PhD |
| Format | 202 pages, pdf |
| Rights | Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University |
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