Lorne - Point Grey;31 - Nemertea;BQDAF0050;MRG933-09;Zygonemertes sp. SMSA052;SMSA052;SP03392;AN022436;NMVF290415;PID0250211
Species ID
OC-SP-0002988
Discovered
Phylum
Nemertea
Species ID
OC-SP-0002988
Provisional Species Name
Zygonemertes sp_SMSA052
Lowest Valid Taxon Name in WoRMS
Zygonemertes
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
Zygonemertidae
Genus
Zygonemertes
Date Identified
26/01/2026
Taxonomic Remarks
There are several cryptic nearly colorless species of Zygonemertes that lack post-cerebral ocelli in southeast Australia which are difficult to separate. Zygonemertes sp. SMSA052 can be distinguished from other similar local species (SMSA048, SMSA049, SMSA050, SMSA051, SMSA058, SMSA067) by its relatively small size at maturity, long central stylet relative to length of basis, and by COI sequence data. .
Received All Minimal Data for Discovery
08/04/2026
Description of Material
Body 5 mm long, 0.7 mm wide, semi-translucent. Background colour uniform pearl white. Cephalic lobe same width as adjacent body region, twice as long as it is wide, separated from body by neck furrow. Oblique cerebral organ furrows visible dorsally and ventrally. Cerebral ganglia colorless. Multiple ocelli in 2 irregular rows on each side of head, none posterior to cerebral ganglia. Epidermal sickle-like inclusions present. Posterior tip bluntly pointed. Stylet basis skirt shaped, with a constriction anterior to the distal end, widest at its distal truncated end. S/B = 1.2, two accessory stylet sacs with 2 or 3 stylets in each. Depicted sexually mature female with 67 oocytes (single oocyte per ovary) was observed in April.
Ecology
Found in red coralline algae in the intertidal zone.
Distribution
Pt Grey, Lorne, Victoria, Australia
Scientific Name Authorship
Maslakova, Svetlana
Lorne - Point Grey;31 - Nemertea;BQDAF0050;MRG933-09;Zygonemertes sp. SMSA052;SMSA052;SP03392;AN022436;NMVF290415;PID0250211
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