Species ID
OC-SP-0002912
Discovered
Phylum
Nemertea
Species ID
OC-SP-0002912
Provisional Species Name
Drepanophoridae sp_SMTM021
Lowest Valid Taxon Name in WoRMS
Drepanophoridae
Lowest Known Rank
Family
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
Polystilifera
Family
Drepanophoridae
Date Identified
22/08/2025
Taxonomic Remarks
The species can be differentiated from any other known reptant polystiliferans species by its distinct colour pattern, as well as COI sequence data. Its closest known relative is a locally co-occurring species Drepanophoridae sp. SMTM022 (COI 7% divergent). Of the five species of reptant polystiliferans that have been collected off the coast of Timor by the Siboga Expedition in January 1900, and reported by Stiasni-Wijnhoff (1936), only one, Drepanobanda trilineata, is reported to have dorsal longitudinal stripes after preservation (colour in life is not known). But the banding pattern is different from the present species. D. trilineata is described as a brownish worm with three longitudinal stripes; the middle stripe is darkest, extending to the tip of head, while the two lateral stripes are somewhat lighter and gradually merge into the background colour. The background colour of Drepanophoridae sp. SMTM021 is white, sharply contrasting with the dorsal bands, of which there are five, not three. Circumscriptions of current families and genera of reptant polystiliferans are based on characters of internal anatomy, many of which have been shown to not be reliable indicators of relationships, and await testing with molecular phylogenies. On the other hand, most species that have been sequenced remain unidentified beyond the level of infraorder Reptantia. Placement in the family Drepanophoridae is putative, and the genus remains to be determined.
Received All Minimal Data for Discovery
08/04/2026
Description of Material
Body 15 mm long, 1-2 mm wide, dorso-ventrally flattened. Background colour opaque white. Dorsally with a distinct pattern of longitudinal stripes: a broad lavender mid-dorsal longitudinal band, flanked on both sides with a narrower orange stripe, which, in turn, is adjoined laterally by a band of dilute brown. The latter (brown) band is of variable width: widest in the posterior half, and gradually tapering off toward anterior, disappearing entirely in the anterior-most ¼ of body legth. Orange stripes begin at the level of cephalic furrows. Lavender colour extends onto cephalic lobe. Cephalic lobe bluntly tapered, equipped with a broad and prominent mid-dorsal ridge, which is deeper lavender, and flanked by a thin white line on each side. Cerebral organ furrows with secondary furrows (5 pairs visible on dorsal side), white. Ocelli large, situated in four well defined rows — a lateral row along each side of head with 5-7 ocelli in each, and two medial rows, underlying the mid-dorsal head ridge each with 5-7 ocelli in each. The two medial rows are immediately adjacent to each other. Cephalic margin is white. Neck furrow lacking. Posterior end bluntly rounded. Gut diverticula not visible through body wall.
Ecology
Associated with coral rubble.
Distribution
Only known from Dili, Timor-Leste.
Scientific Name Authorship
Maslakova, Svetlana
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