New Clavelina (Ascidiacea) Species from the Bahamas

The ascidian fauna of the Bahamas remains grossly understudied. Here, we examined specimens of the genus Clavelina collected from four Bahamian islands using morphological observations and genetic barcoding. Only three species of Clavelina have been previously reported in the Caribbean: C. picta, C....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Taxonomy (Basel, Switzerland) Switzerland), 2024-09, Vol.4 (3), p.661-679
Main Authors: Turon, Xavier, López-Legentil, Susanna
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abdomen
Clavelina erwinorum
Clavelina pawliki
Clavelina picta
Clavelina rochae
clavelinid
Ethanol
Morphology
Ocean currents
Phylogenetics
Research ships
Stomach
Taxonomy
Thorax
tunicate
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Summary:The ascidian fauna of the Bahamas remains grossly understudied. Here, we examined specimens of the genus Clavelina collected from four Bahamian islands using morphological observations and genetic barcoding. Only three species of Clavelina have been previously reported in the Caribbean: C. picta, C. oblonga, and C. puertosecensis. Here, we report C. picta and three species new to science: C. rochae, C. pawliki, and C. erwinorum. C. picta and C. pawliki were found in the northernmost island surveyed, while C. rochae and C. erwinorum were particularly prevalent on the southeastern Bahamian islands. A complete review of genetic barcoding data and morphological characters of accepted Clavelina species was performed. The unique combination of in vivo coloration, morphological characteristics, haplotypes, and species distribution supported the establishment of three new species, significantly adding to the diversity of the genus Clavelina in the Caribbean.
ISSN:2673-6500
2673-6500
DOI:10.3390/taxonomy4030034