A Global Mission

The mission of the Ocean Census is to accelerate the discovery of ocean life to advance fundamental science, empower conservation, and fuel innovation for the future of our planet.

Join the Census

The Ocean Census Alliance unites national and philanthropic marine institutes, museums, and universities, backed by governments, philanthropy, business and civil society partners.

Gallery

Phylum

OC-SP-0002970

Marengo - Cape - and Hayley Pt;31 - Nemertea;BQDAC0050;MRG872-14;Tetrastemma sp. SMSA029;SMSA029;SP03408;AN019575;NMVF290248;PID0165584

Species ID

OC-SP-0002970

Discovered

Phylum

Nemertea

Species ID

OC-SP-0002970

Provisional Species Name

Tetrastemma sp_SMSA029

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

23/01/2026

Taxonomic Remarks

There are several cryptic nearly colorless species of Tetrastemma in southeast Australia which are difficult to separate. Tetrastemma sp. SMSA029 is easily recognized by its relatively long stylet compared to basis, a narrow pear-shaped basis, and by the COI sequence data.

Received All Minimal Data for Discovery

08/04/2026

Description of Material

Body 20 mm long, 0.6 mm wide, uniformly white, semi-translucent. Cephalic lobe slightly wider than neck, diamond shaped, 1.6 times longer than wide, separated from body by an indistinct neck furrow. Oblique cerebral organ furrows visible dorsally and ventrally. Two pairs of ocelli. Posterior tip bluntly pointed. Rhynchocoel extends to near posterior tip. Stylet basis an elongate pear shape, slightly wider at its distal rounded tip. S/B = 1.4. Two accessory stylet sacs with 4 or 5 stylets in each.

Ecology

Found on coralline algae growing around Caulerpa seaweeds in the intertidal zone.

Distribution

Marengo, Victoria, Australia.

Scientific Name Authorship

Maslakova, Svetlana

Marengo - Cape - and Hayley Pt;31 - Nemertea;BQDAC0050;MRG872-14;Tetrastemma sp. SMSA029;SMSA029;SP03408;AN019575;NMVF290248;PID0165584

Join the census

The Ocean Census Alliance unites national and philanthropic marine institutes, museums, and universities, backed by governments, philanthropy, business and civil society partners.