New records of Lobatolampea tetragona (Ctenophora: Lobata: Lobatolampeidae) from the Red Sea

Abstract

Lobatolampea tetragona Horita, 2000, a member of the monotypic family Lobatolampeidae (Lobata), is reported from the Red Sea based on seven specimens collected during marine biodiversity surveys conducted in the southern and central Red Sea. The ctenophore is characterized by the following characters: paired oral lobes lacking visible auricles and bearing auricular ctenes; subpharyngeal meridional canals bearing aboral blind ends; and c-shaped gonads. Previously, the species was recorded only from Japanese waters. This finding represents the first record of L. tetragona outside of the North Pacific and represents a substantial range expansion for this species.