THE TROPICAL WESTERN ATLANTIC PEROPHORIDAE (ASCIDIACEA) II. THE GENUS ECTEINASCIDIA

摘要

Four species of Ecteinascidia occur in the tropical western Atlantic. The characteristics of each species are described and their distribution reviewed. Many characteristics are related to zooid size, although others are independent of size. Three species are common and widespread but the fourth, Ecteinascidia conklini Berrill, 1932, is rare and until recently there have been few records of its distribution. Ecteinascidia minuta (Berrill, 1932) is closely related to Ecteinascidia herd-mani Medioni, 1969 from the Mediterranean and further research may show that the two are synonymous.