Point Lonsdale;31 - Nemertea;BQDAC0020;MRG929-02;Tetrastemma sp. SMSA005;SMSA005;SP02364;AN022278;NMVF290388;PID0246308
Species ID
OC-SP-0002956
Discovered
Phylum
Nemertea
Species ID
OC-SP-0002956
Provisional Species Name
Tetrastemma sp_SMSA005
Lowest Valid Taxon Name in WoRMS
Tetrastemma
Lowest Known Rank
Genus
Status
Discovered
Does the taxonomist(s) intend to work on this material further?
3. I/We are not sure yet. This is of course no problem, we will display your species info (if not embargoed) while you work out your species description plan.
Embargo
No
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Nemertea
Class
Hoplonemertea
Order
Monostilifera
Family
Tetrastemmatidae
Genus
Tetrastemma
Date Identified
16/01/2026
Taxonomic Remarks
This species is easily recognized by the mask and collar color pattern and by COI sequence data. No other known species has similar markings.
Received All Minimal Data for Discovery
08/04/2026
Description of Material
Body 21 mm long, 0.8 mm wide. Background colour white with a tinge of green in anterior third of body. With distinctive irregularly shaped brown markings over the body (dorsally and ventrally) and cephalic lobe. Brown markings on cephalic lobe form a mask over the first pair of eyes and a wide collar behind the cephalic lobe, which may be joined to the mask by a narrow middorsal strip of pigment. Small juveniles have reddish markings with more distinct banding on the body and less distinct or absent collar, and more prominent ventral markings. Cephalic lobe is diamond shaped, about twice as long as it is wide, separated from body by indistinct neck furrow. Oblique cerebral organ furrows visible dorsally and ventrally. Two pairs of ocelli, the first obscured by the cephalic pigment. Posterior tip bluntly pointed. Rhynchocoel extends to near posterior tip. Stylet basis pear shaped or cylindrical, sometimes with slight constriction in centre, widest at its distal rounded end. S/B = 0.45. Two accessory sacs with 2 stylets in each.
Ecology
Found in the seagrass Amphibolis antarctica, both intertidally and subtidally.
Distribution
Species is common in central Victoria and rare from Cape Otway to South Australia. Amphibolis antarctica is also present in Western Australia but this species is not reported from there.
Scientific Name Authorship
Maslakova, Svetlana
Point Lonsdale;31 - Nemertea;BQDAC0020;MRG929-02;Tetrastemma sp. SMSA005;SMSA005;SP02364;AN022278;NMVF290388;PID0246308
Specimens
Additional Material
No Image yet…
AFLA_F290056
Family
Tetrastemmatidae
Additional Material
No Image yet…
AFLA_F290302
Family
Tetrastemmatidae
Additional Material
No Image yet…
AFLA_F290307
Family
Tetrastemmatidae
Primary Voucher
AFLA_F290388
Family
Tetrastemmatidae
Additional Material
No Image yet…
AFLA_F204910
Family
Tetrastemmatidae
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