Heterostigma (tunicate)

Heterostigma
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Tunicata
Class:	Ascidiacea
Order:	Stolidobranchia
Family:	Pyuridae
Genus:	Heterostigma; Ärnbäck-Christie-Linde, 1924
Species
	See text

Last updated April 25, 2019

Heterostigma is a genus of ascidian tunicates in the family Pyuridae.

A genus is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, as well as viruses, in biology. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial species name for each species within the genus.

Ascidiacea is a paraphyletic class in the subphylum Tunicata of sac-like marine invertebrate filter feeders. Ascidians are characterized by a tough outer "tunic" made of the polysaccharide cellulose.

A tunicate is a marine invertebrate animal, a member of the subphylum Tunicata. It is part of the Chordata, a phylum which includes all animals with dorsal nerve cords and notochords. The subphylum was at one time called Urochordata, and the term urochordates is still sometimes used for these animals. They are the only chordates that have lost their myomeric segmentation, with the possible exception of the seriation of the gill slits.

Species within the genus Heterostigma include:^[1]

Heterostigma fagei Monniot C. & Monniot F., 1961
Heterostigma gonochorica Monniot F., 1965
Heterostigma mediterranea Pérès, 1958
Heterostigma melitensis Monniot F. & Monniot C., 1976
Heterostigma reptans Monniot C. & Monniot F., 1963
Heterostigma separ Ärnbäck, 1924

Species names currently considered to be synonyms:

Heterostigma gravellophilaPeres, 1955: synonym of Cratostigma gravellophila (Pérès, 1955)
Heterostigma singulare(Van Name, 1912): synonym of Cratostigma singularis (Van Name, 1912)
Heterostigma singularis(Van Name, 1912): synonym of Cratostigma singularis (Van Name, 1912)

Related Research Articles

Herdmania is a genus of ascidian tunicates in the family Pyuridae.

Styela is a genus of tunicates. Styela clava, an edible species, is known as an invasive species in some areas.

Molgula, or sea grapes, are very common, globular, individual marine tunicates roughly the size of grapes.

Eusynstyela is a genus of ascidian tunicates in the family Styelidae.

Phlebobranchia is a suborder of sea squirts in the class Ascidiacea.

Stolidobranchia is an order of tunicates in the class Ascidiacea. The group includes both colonial and solitary animals. They are distinguished from other tunicates by the presence of folded pharyngeal baskets. This provides the etymology of their name: in ancient greek, στολίς, ίδος means the "fold" of a cloth. Stolidobranchian sea squirts are also characterized by the complete absence of an abdomen. The abdominal organs of other tunicates are instead located to one side of the pharyngeal basket in this group.

Polycarpa is a genus of ascidian tunicates in the family Styelidae.

Synoicum is a genus of colonial sea squirts, tunicates in the family Polyclinidae.

Eugyra are marine tunicates.

Molguloides is a genus of marine tunicates.

Oligotrema is a genus of marine tunicates.

Alloeocarpa is a genus of ascidian tunicates in the family Styelidae.

Bathystyeloides is a genus of ascidian tunicates in the family Styelidae.

Cnemidocarpa is a genus of ascidian tunicates in the family Styelidae.

Dicarpa is a genus of ascidian tunicates in the family Styelidae.

Metandrocarpa is a genus of ascidian tunicates in the family Styelidae.

Polyandrocarpa is a genus of ascidian tunicates in the family Styelidae.

Stolonica is a genus of ascidian tunicates in the family Styelidae.

Cratostigma is a genus of ascidian tunicates in the family Pyuridae.

Corellidae is a family of sea squirts belonging to the suborder Phlebobranchia.

References

↑ Sanamyan, K. (2015). Heterostigma Ärnbäck-Christie-Linde, 1924 . In: Shenkar, N.; Gittenberger, A.; Lambert, G.; Rius, M.; Moreira Da Rocha, R.; Swalla, B.J.; Turon, X. (2015) Ascidiacea World Database. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2015-12-29.

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[1] Sanamyan, K. (2015). Heterostigma Ärnbäck-Christie-Linde, 1924 . In: Shenkar, N.; Gittenberger, A.; Lambert, G.; Rius, M.; Moreira Da Rocha, R.; Swalla, B.J.; Turon, X. (2015) Ascidiacea World Database. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2015-12-29.