Diversity of marine tunicate from waters of Pannikiang Island and Badi Island of South Sulawesi, Indonesia

LitaayM, PiriR, JabirNB,PriosambodoD,PutraAW. 2023. Diversity of marine tunicate from waters of Pannikiang Island and Badi Island of South Sulawesi, Indonesia.Biodiversitas 24:1431-1437.The number of tunicates is currently known for approximately 3000 species, but it is estimated that there are still 1000-2000 more species that have not been describedglobally. The Spermonde Archipelago in South Sulawesi is a habitat for various tunicates, but not all islands have been well explored. This study aims to expand the distribution map of tunicates in Spermonde Archipelago, especially in the two study islands (Pannikiang Island and Badi Island). The diversity of tunicates between twoislands, which have different ecological conditions, is compared in this study. This study used a line transect method along 20 m with a combination of plots at a depth of 5 meters. A transect was applied at four different locationsaccording to wind direction. All tunicates inside the transect were recorded, counted, and sub-sample were collected for identification purposes. The data obtainedwereanalyzed using the diversity index (Chao-1, Shannon-wiener, Uniformity, and Dominance). There are a total of 35 species (24 species at Pannikiang Island and 18at Badi Island). Nephtheis fascicularis, Didemnum molle, Clavelina robusta, and Polycarpa auratacan befound on both islands. The levels of diversity of the two islands differ with little in common.