• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.358-361
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• 2021

The genus Rhopalaea Philippi, 1843 is firstly recorded as a Korean fauna. It is distinct from other genera of Diazonidae in order Aplousobranchia by having solitary individuals or at most two embedded in a common test. Solitary ascidian, Rhopalaea crassa (Herdman, 1880), is also newly reported from Korean waters. Rhopalaea crassa has a club-shaped body, developed thorax, a vertical gut loop and yellow patches in transparent test. Specimens of R. crassa examined in this study were collected from the subtidal zone of Jeju-do Island by scuba diving. In this paper, detailed descriptions and photographs of specimens and living forms of R. crassa are provided.