ABSTRACT
The evidence for the occurrence of storage excretion in ascidians is reviewed. Most species probably store uric acid or purine bases in some form.
The renal concretions of Ascidia nigra and Phallusia mammillata contain 50-60 % uric acid, the remainder of the concretion is unidentified but is non-nitrogenous and is not calcium carbonate. In Ascidiella aspersa the concretion is predominantly composed of calcium carbonate and there is no significant quantity of uric acid or purine base.
Uric acid is also identified in Molgula manhattensis, Polycarpa obtecta, Pyura vittata and Herdmania momus.
Storage excretion probably results from a deficiency in the uricolytic enzyme system. It is concluded that while protein metabolism is ammonotelic, purine meta-bolism is uricotelic or xanthotelic.
Throughout this paper nomenclature of Old World species follows Berrill (1950) except in the case of Microcotma ndcatui Coquebert, synonyms for which are found in Harant & Vemières (1933). Nomenclature of New World species follows Van Name (1945).
