<i>Ecteinascidia venui</i> sp. nov., a colonial ascidian (Perophoridae) from <span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN; mso-fareast-language:EN-IN;mso-bidi-language:HI" lang="EN-IN">Tuticorin, southeast coast of India</span>

Abstract

<span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:" times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" roman";="" color:black;mso-ansi-language:en-in;mso-fareast-language:en-in;mso-bidi-language:="" hi"="" lang="EN-IN">A new species of colonial ascidian, <i>Ecteinascidia venui</i> sp. nov. collected from Tuticorin water is described in detail. This species differs from the other <i>Ecteinascidia</i> species reported from India in the presence of apertures on the upper anterior end of the body, absence of transverse muscles between apertures and no secondary gut loop. Relationships between <i>Ecteinascidia</i> <i>diaphanis </i>and <i>Ecteinascidia thurstoni</i> are provided.</span>