Barwon Heads - The Bluff/Mt Colite;31 - Nemertea;BQDAC0020;MRG916-04;Tetrastemma sp. SMSA017;SMSA017;SP03513;AN021729;NMVF290155;PID0227447
Species ID
OC-SP-0002963
Discovered
Phylum
Nemertea
Species ID
OC-SP-0002963
Provisional Species Name
Tetrastemma sp_SMSA017
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
20/01/2026
Taxonomic Remarks
There are a number of cryptic nearly colorless species of Tetrastemma in southeast Australia which are difficult to separate. Tetrastemma sp. SMSA017 can be distinguished from other similar local species (e.g. Tetrastemma sp. SMSA013) by having a pink brain and a truncated stylet basis with a relatively short stylet, and by COI sequence data.
Received All Minimal Data for Discovery
08/04/2026
Description of Material
Body 9 – 35 mm long, 0.5 – 1.5 mm wide, uniformly cream colored; mature females appear green due to the color of oocytes. Cephalic lobe slightly wider than body, diamond shaped, 1.7 times longer than wide, separated from body by a conspicuous neck furrow. Cerebral ganglia visibly pink through body wall. Prominent oblique cerebral organ furrows visible dorsally and ventrally. Two pairs of ocelli. Posterior tip pointed. Stylet basis elongated and cylindrical, occasionally with some widening near the distally truncated end. In some individuals, distal end of basis considerably wider than proximal end. S/B = 3. Two accessory stylet sacs with 2 to 5 stylets in each.
Ecology
Found among a range of algae and sediments around algal rhizoids and holdfasts on exposed coasts in the intertidal zone.
Distribution
From Murrell’s Beach, Portland to Cape Conran, Victoria, Australia
Scientific Name Authorship
Maslakova, Svetlana
Barwon Heads - The Bluff/Mt Colite;31 - Nemertea;BQDAC0020;MRG916-04;Tetrastemma sp. SMSA017;SMSA017;SP03513;AN021729;NMVF290155;PID0227447
Specimens
Primary Voucher
AFLA_F290155
Family
Tetrastemmatidae
Additional Material
No Image yet…
AFLA_F290157
Family
Tetrastemmatidae
Additional Material
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AFLA_F290422
Family
Tetrastemmatidae
Additional Material
No Image yet…
AFLA_F323479
Family
Tetrastemmatidae
Additional Material
No Image yet…
AFLA_F290127
Family
Tetrastemmatidae
Additional Material
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AFLA_F290256
Family
Tetrastemmatidae
Additional Material
No Image yet…
AFLA_F290318
Family
Tetrastemmatidae
Additional Material
No Image yet…
AFLA_F290320
Family
Tetrastemmatidae
Additional Material
No Image yet…
AFLA_F290322
Family
Tetrastemmatidae
Additional Material
No Image yet…
AFLA_F290325
Family
Tetrastemmatidae
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