Lohmann, 1896

Description
Trunk in dorsal view rectangular, but narrowed in the middle, the anterior part rounded. Two large triangular cuticular appendices posteriorly.
Trunk in lateral view dorso-ventrally compressed; the part anterior of the proximal end of the oesophagus, is clearly curved downwards. Mouth with large upper lip; the pharynx is small.
Endostyle narrow and strongly curved; the pharyngial glands are situated directly behind the endostyle and point backwards to the left side of the animal, without touching the spiracles. Spiracles small and round.
The digestive tract is compact and small compared with the length of the body. Intestine situated right behind the stomach; the rectum is almost vertical, ending in an anus that is located at the left side of the body.
Genital cavity very large. In young specimens, the gonads are touching the posterior end of the digestive tract; in mature specimens, the testis is trapezoidal and laterally encircled by the ovary in a string.
The tail has narrow muscle bands; in the rear third of the tail, at each side of the chord, there are two sometimes difficult to distinguish elongated amphicordial glands. The rear end of the tail is insiced.

Size
Trunk length 1.25 mm, tail length 1.75-2.0 mm.

Ecology
F. venusta is a very eurytherm thermophilic species.

Depth range
Epipelagic

Distribution in the North Sea
North Sea

World distribution
Recorded from the Antarctic, Norwegian Sea, west of Ireland, Mediterranean, Gulf of Aden, NW Arabian Sea.

[Fenaux, 1967]

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Subphylum Tunicata
Class Appendicularia
Family Fritillaridae
Genus Fritillaria
Species Fritillaria venusta

Status in World Register of Marine Species

Accepted name: Fritillaria venusta Lohman, 1896

Scientific synonyms and common names

Fritillaria bicornis | Lohmann, 1896
Fritillaria (Eurycercus) venusta | Lohmann, 1933

Bückmann, A., 1949. Tunicata, Appendicularia, I-III. Fiches d'Identification du Zooplancton, 7 (1945). Conseil International pour l'Exploration de la Mer, Kopenhagen.

Fenaux, R., 1967. Les appendiculaires des mers d'Europe et du Bassin Méditerranéen. Faune de l'Europe et du Bassin Méditerranéen, 2. Masson et Cie., Paris. 116 pp., 57 figs.

Fenaux, R., 1998. The classification of Appendicularia. In: Q. Bone (ed.), 1998. The biology of pelagic tunicates. Oxford University Press, Oxford. pp 295-306.

Lohmann, H., 1896. Die Appendicularien der Plankton-Expedition. Ergebnisse der Plankton-Expedition der Humbolt- Stiftung 1889. Bd. 2, EC. Verlag Lipsius und Tischer, Leipzig. pp 1-148, 20 plates, 3 maps.

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