SA - Island Point South side;31 - Nemertea;BQDAC0020;SACReD01-LA20;Tetrastemma sp. SMSA020;SMSA020;SP02573;AN014258;NMVE9294;PID0085434
SA - Island Point South side;31 - Nemertea;BQDAC0020;SACReD01-LA20;Tetrastemma sp. SMSA020;SMSA020;SP02573;AN014258;NMVE9294;PID0085434
Species ID
OC-SP-0002965
Discovered
Phylum
Nemertea
Species ID
OC-SP-0002965
Provisional Species Name
Tetrastemma sp_SMSA020
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
Resembles another local undescribed species Tetrastemma sp. SMSA022 but is easily differentiated by the white rather than green background color, the consistency of the brown markings, the different seagrass habitats and the single large egg in each ovary (yellow in the image above), and by COI sequence data.
Received All Minimal Data for Discovery
08/04/2026
Description of Material
Body 11 mm long, 0.7 mm wide, semitranslucent. Background colour white; dorsally with reddish-brown spots and a similarly colored thin mid-dorsal line from tip of head to posterior tip. Cephalic lobe same width as body, nearly twice as long as it is wide, separated from body by a distinct neck furrow. Cerebral organ furrows visible dorsally and ventrally. Four large ocelli. Posterior tip bluntly pointed. Rhynchocoel extends to near posterior tip. Stylet basis an elongate pear shape with slight constriction in centre, distally rounded. S/B = 0.53. Two accessory sacs with 2 stylets in each sac.
Ecology
Generally, on fine-leaved intertidal seagrasses such as various Zostera species. Has never been found on Amphibolis antarctica in Victoria but has been seen on Amphibolis antarctica in South Australia. Not reported from Western Australia.
Distribution
Found in South Australia and at Shallow Inlet, Victoria, Australia
Scientific Name Authorship
Maslakova, Svetlana
SA - Island Point South side;31 - Nemertea;BQDAC0020;SACReD01-LA20;Tetrastemma sp. SMSA020;SMSA020;SP02573;AN014258;NMVE9294;PID0085434
SA - Island Point South side;31 - Nemertea;BQDAC0020;SACReD01-LA20;Tetrastemma sp. SMSA020;SMSA020;SP02573;AN014258;NMVE9294;PID0085434
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