LISTS OF SPECIES . 10TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE Ch eck List the journal of biodiversity data Check List 11(1): 1544, January 2015 — doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.15560/11.1.1544 ISSN 1809-127X ©2015 Check List and Authors Vallicula multiformis Rankin, 1956 (Ctenophora, Platyctenida): first record from the Indian Ocean Amruta Prasade"*, Deepak Apte’, Purushottam Kale’ and Otto M.P. Oliveira’® 1 Bombay Natural History Society, $.B. Singh Road, Mumbai - 400 001, Maharashtra, India 2 Ramniranjan Jhunjhunwala College, Ghatkopar West, Mumbai - 400 086, Maharashtra, India 3 Universidade Federal do ABC, Centro de Ciéncias Naturais e Humanas, Rua Arcturus, 03, Jardim Antares, 09606-070, SAo Bernardo do Campo, SP, Brazil * Corresponding author. E-mail: amrutaprsade@gmail.com Abstract: The benthic ctenophore Vallicula multiformis Rankin, 1956 is recorded for the first time in the Arabian Sea, from the Gulf of Kutch, west coast of India in March 2013. This occurrence represents a remarkable extension of its geo- graphic distribution that until now included only known the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Key words: ctenophore, India, west coast, Gulf of Kutch, Gujarat The Platyctenida, an order of ctenophores that includes the benthic species, has 47 species (Mills 2013). Most of them have restricted geographical distributions, limited to their respective type localities. Vallicula multiformis Rankin, 1956 (family Coeloplanidae) is an exception. The species was originally described from Jamaica (Rankin 1951) and then was recorded from Brazil (Marcus 1957; Oliveira and Migotto 2007), Bermuda (Freeman 1967), Madeira (Wirtz 1998), California USA (Mills and Haddock 2007), the Ca- nary Islands and Cuba (Moro et al. 2011). Mills and Had- dock (2007) also cited an occurrence of the species from Hawaii (USA), but the presence of V. multiformis in Hawaii was only formally reported by Carlton and Eldredge (2009) and was considered as non-indigenous to Hawaiian waters. Carlton and Eldredge also reported that V. multiformis may reach high population densities, and they also briefly com- mented on a possible vector of introduction. Informal re- ports of the species, with photographic records, were made from Florida, USA, by Hebecca Helm (pers. comm.) and from Germany, by Michael Eitel (pers. comm.). The platyctenids Coeloplana indica Devanesen & Var- adrajan, 1942, C. krusadiensis Devanesen & Varadrajan, 1942 and C. tattersalli Devanesen & Varadrajan, 1942 were described from Krusadai Island and Gulf of Mannar, India, by Devanesen and Varadrajan (1942). Ctenoplana bengalen- sis Gnanamuthu & Nair, 1947 was newly described from Madras (Gnanamuthu and Nair 1947) but may be the same species reported by Menon (1927). Recently, Coeloplana meteoris Thiel, 1968 has reported from India by Venkatra- man et al. (2012). This paper records the first record of the Vallicula © Check List | www.biotaxa.org/cl multiformis from the Indian Ocean (Figure 1). The species’ geographic distribution includes the Atlantic, Northeastern Pacific Ocean, and Northern Indian oceans. Specimens were recorded from Boria (22°25'12.65" N, 069°13'15.24" E) and Adasaba (22°23'58.43" N, 069°12'52.74" E) Islands near to Poshitra, Gujarat on 30 and 31 March 2013. All specimens were observed on the algae Halimeda opuntia (Figure 2A). Collected species, and the host algae, were placed in a plastic container filled with sea water. Four specimens measuring between 6-10 mm wide were collected during a daytime survey from the shore of Boria Island were photo- graphed in the natural habitat on algae along with the sea slug Elysia pusilla (Bergh, 1872) (Figure 2B). After observing their behavior, the specimens were preserved in 4% formal- dehyde with sea water without sedation. Voucher specimens were deposited in the collection the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS-Cteno-1). ; . Europe North Pacific Germany. Geean fiona Madeln : Asta California 7 Hetty 9 é L a) Pcarovean i a “Gujarat Hawaiian Islands iis 4 South East Brazil Atlantic ocean s Sao Paulo Indian Ocean . Australia o ® op) c a ra) o — <= Gujarat Figure 1. A: Worldwide distribution of Vallicula multiformis. B: Study area: Gulf of Kutch and reefs of Boria and Adasaba islands. Volume 11| Number 1 | Article 1544 Prasade etal. | Benthic ctenophore Vallicula multiformis from India Figure 2. A: Vallicula multiformis on Halimeda opuntia algae found in sessile phase. B: Similar looking saccoglosan Elysia pusilla found on same algae. C: Specimens showing fully extended tentacles during movement. D: Tentacle and tentacular filaments. E: Aboral view of the specimen showing anas- tomosed canals and blind ended branches. Legend: t.f., tentacular filaments; t, tentacle; t.o., tentacular sheath opening; t.s., tentacle sheath; g.v.c., gastrovascular canals; p.st.p., parastomial papillae; st, stomach; s.c., sohaerical chamber; a.o., apical organ. © Check List | www.biotaxa.org/cl Volume 11 | Number 1 | Article 1544 Prasade etal. | Benthic ctenophore Vallicula multiformis from India Specimens were identified using the identification key by Oliveira et al. (2007) and on the original description of V. mul- tiformis by Rankin (1956). Laboratory observations revealed movements by gliding, creeping, and floating (Figure 2c). The general morphology is as described by Rankin (1956). Tentacles are long (almost double the total body length). Gastrovascular canals end blindly near the body margins; this is one of the notable characteristics of the genus Vallicula. The color is translucent green with white spots scattered all over the body. Light brown spots are visible only under low reflec- tive light (Figure 2D-E). Discoloration was observed after preservation. In the natural state during daytime, V. multiformis was sessile, without any movement, and appeared similar to a flatworm or a coeloplana. After 5-6 hours in the collection containers with the algae Halimeda opuntia, the animals detached from the algae and were found to be creeping on the walls of the container and changing body forms. Similar observations were reported by Rankin (1956). Rankin (1956) mentioned that V. multiformis was abundant in June to September and January to March and sparsely found in May, October and early December. In this study, animals were observed from March-April when the water temperature was ca. 29°C. Vallicula multiformis has been observed in waters of the Caribbean, Europe and southeast Atlantic, in warm water regions (Mills 2013). These are benthic animals living on vari- ety substrates such as algae (Acanthophora spicifera, Caulerpa sertularioides, Padina spp. and Sargassum spp.; Rankin 1956; Marcus 1957; Wirtz 1998), byrozoans (Bugula spp.; Marcus 1957), hydroids (Rankin 1956; Marcus 1957), holothurians (Rankin 1956) including Synaptula spp. (Marcus 1957), and ascidians (Rankin 1956). In this study, specimens were exclusively found on the algae Halimeda opuntia. This paper reports Vallicula multiformis for the first time from the coast of India. This species’ presence here may be due to natural, passive dispersal with the currents or may rep- resent an introduction due to shipping (i.e., ballast water or fouling; Carlton and Eldredge, 2009). Molecular studies may offer insights into the origin of this Indian population. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We would like to thank Dr. A.R. Rahmani, Director, BNHS for his constant support and motivation. We are grateful to Bernard Picton, Vinicius Padula and Cynthia Trowbridge who provided valuable comments for the specimen’s identification at the Nudibase; to Claudia Mills, Alvaro Migotto and Ada Alamaru for their valuable suggestions. We also thank our colleagues and team members at Gujarat field station for their invaluable sup- port and assistance during the field work. Authors would also like to thank the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India, for their constant support. LITERATURE CITED Carlton, J. and L. Eldredge. 2009. Marine bioinvasions of Hawaii: the introduced and cryptogenic marine and estuarine animals © Check List | www.biotaxa.org/cl and plants of the Hawaiian Archipelago. Bishop Museum Bulletins in Cultural and Environmental Studies 4: 202 pp. (http://hbs. bishopmuseum.org/pubs-online/pdf/bces4.pdf) Devanesen, D.W. and S.S. Varadarajan. 1939. On Coeloplana sp. discovered by Prof. W. M. Tattersall at Krusadai Island, Marine Biological Station, Gulf of Mannar. Indian Academy of Sciences 4: 157-159. Devanesen, D.W. and S.S. Varadarajan. 1942. On three new species of Coeloplana found at Krusadai Island, Marine Biological Station, and Gulf of Mannar. Journal of Madras University 14(2): 181-88. Freeman, G. 1967. Studies on the regeneration in the creeping ctenophore, Vallicula multiformis. Journal of Morphology 123: 71-83 (doi: 10.1002/jmor.1051230107). Gnanamuthu, C.P. and R.V. Nair. 1947. Ctenoplana bengalensis sp. nov. from the Madras plankton. Proceedings of Indian Academy of Sciences (B) 27: 153-160 (http://www.ias.ac.in/j_archive/ procb/27/6/153-160/viewpage.html). Marcus, E.B.R. 1957. Vallicula multiformis Rankin, 1956, from Brazil. Boletim do Instituto Oceanogrdfico 7(1-2): 87-91 (doi: 10.1590/S0373-55241956000100004). Menon, K.R. 1927. Preliminary notes on Ctenoplana indica, n. sp.; 190 pp., in: Proceedings of 14" Indian Science Congress. Lahore: Indian Science Congress. Mills, C. 2013. Vallicula multiformis Rankin, 1956. World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS). Accessible at http://www.marinespecies. org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=106403. Captured on 06 June 2013. Mills, C.E. and S. Haddock. 2007. Ctenophora; pp.189-199, in: J.T. Carlton (ed.). The Light and Smith Manual: Intertidal Invertebrates from Central California to Oregon. Oakland: University of California Press. Mills, C.E. Phylum Ctenophora: List of All Valid Species Names. Accessible at http://faculty.washington.edu/cemills/Ctenolist.html. Captured on 15 May 2012. Moro, L.; R. Riera; G. Matsumoto and J. Ortea. 2011. Primera cita de Vallicula multiformis Rankin, 1956 (Ctenophora: Paltyctenida) para Canarias y Cuba. Revista de la Academia Canariense de Ciencias 22(3): 79-84 (http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/42345607). Oliveira, O., H. Mianzan, A.E. Migotto and A.C. Marques. 2007. Identification key for the ctenophores from Brazilian coast. Biota Neotropica 7(3): 341-350 (doi: 10.1590/S1676-06032007000300034). Oliveira, O.M.P. and A.E. Migotto. 2007. Que bicho estranho! Animal marinho de morfologia aberrante é encontrado no litoral paulista. Ciéncia Hoje 236: 72-73. Rankin, J.J. 1951. A new platyctenid ctenophore from Jamaica. Nature 168: 1047 (doi: 10.1038/1681047a0). Rankin, J. J. 1956. The structure and biology of Vallicula multiformis gen. et sp. nov., a platyetenid ctenophore. Journal of Linnean Society Zoology 43(289): 55-71 (doi: 10.1111/j.1096-3642.1956.tbo2507.x). Venkatraman, K., C. Raghunathan, R. Raghuraman, and C.R. Sreeraj. 2012. Marine Biodiversity. Kolkata: Zoological Survey of India. Wirtz, P. 1998. Twelve invertebrate and eight fish species new to the marine fauna of Madeira, and a discussion of the zoogeography of the area. Helgoldénder Meeresuntersuchungen 52: 197-207 (doi: 10.1007/BF02908748). Author’s contribution statement: AP collected the specimens and data, AP, DA and PK wrote the text and OMPO verified the species’ identification and edited the manuscript. Received: May 2014 Accepted: January 2015 Editorial responsibility: Sérgio Stampar Volume 11 | Number 1 | Article 1544