Barwon Heads - The Bluff/Mt Colite;31 - Nemertea;BQDAF0050;MRG916-14;Zygonemertes sp. SMSA055;SMSA055;SP02549;AN021737;NMVF290284;PID0234156
Species ID
OC-SP-0002990
Discovered
Phylum
Nemertea
Species ID
OC-SP-0002990
Provisional Species Name
Zygonemertes sp_SMSA055
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
28/01/2026
Taxonomic Remarks
There are a number of cryptic nearly colorless species of Zygonemertes in southeast Australia which are difficult to separate. Zygonemertes sp. SMSA055 is similar to Zygonemertes SMSA053 and SMSA056, and can be distinguished from other similar local species (SMSA048, SMSA049, SMSA050, SMSA051, SMSA052, SMSA058, SMSA062, and SMSA067) by the presence of a few post-cerebral ocelli arranged in a loosely defined group on each side of body and orange coloration. It can be differentiated from Zygonemertes sp. SMSA053 by having small precerebral ocelli (same size as post-cerebral ocelli), and from both SMSA053 and SMSA056 by having a larger S/B ratio, and by COI sequence data. Zygonemertes wadjemupensis Gibson 1999, described from the Rottnest Island, Western Australia (a distinct biogeographic province from southeastern Australia), has not been sequenced, but can be differentiated from the present species by different arrangement of ocelli and a smaller S/B ratio.
Received All Minimal Data for Discovery
08/04/2026
Description of Material
Body 12 – 70 mm long, up to 0.5 mm wide, threadlike, semi translucent. Background colour uniform light orange (largely due to gut contents), slightly paler anteriorly in large specimens. Cephalic lobe wider than adjacent body region, twice as long as it is wide, separated from body by slight narrowing. Oblique cerebral organ furrows visible dorsally and ventrally. Multiple small ocelli (~20) in two irregular rows on each side of head, anterior to cerebral ganglia. Additionally, a group of 7-15 small ocelli on each side of body at the level of and posterior to cerebral ganglia. Epidermal sickle-like inclusions present. Posterior tip pointed. Stylet basis elongated, with a slight constriction anterior to the distal truncated end. S/B =1, two accessory stylet sacs with 2 to 5 stylets in each.
Ecology
Found in association with a range of different weeds and their rhizoids in the intertidal zone.
Distribution
Cape Conran to Lorne, Victoria, Australia
Scientific Name Authorship
Maslakova, Svetlana
Barwon Heads - The Bluff/Mt Colite;31 - Nemertea;BQDAF0050;MRG916-14;Zygonemertes sp. SMSA055;SMSA055;SP02549;AN021737;NMVF290284;PID0234156
Specimens
Additional Material
No Image yet…
AFLA_F290283
Family
Zygonemertidae
Primary Voucher
AFLA_F290284
Family
Zygonemertidae
Additional Material
No Image yet…
AFLA_F290338
Family
Zygonemertidae
Additional Material
No Image yet…
AFLA_F290409
Family
Zygonemertidae
Additional Material
No Image yet…
AFLA_F290327
Family
Zygonemertidae
Additional Material
No Image yet…
AFLA_F290418
Family
Zygonemertidae
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