Marengo - Cape - and Hayley Pt;31 - Nemertea;BQDAC0020;MRG835-14;Tetrastemma sp. SMSA003;SMSA003;SP02565;AN016610;NMVF290124;PID0135526
Marengo - Cape - and Hayley Pt;31 - Nemertea;BQDAC0020;MRG835-14;Tetrastemma sp. SMSA003;SMSA003;SP02565;AN016610;NMVF290124;PID0135526
Species ID
OC-SP-0002955
Discovered
Phylum
Nemertea
Species ID
OC-SP-0002955
Provisional Species Name
Tetrastemma sp_SMSA003
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
20/01/2026
Taxonomic Remarks
Resembles another undescribed local species, Tetrastemma sp. SMSA007, from which it differs by the shape of head (wider than neck, rounded), in having prominent cerebral organ furrows, and dark patches between the anterior and posterior pairs of eyes. The present species can also be differentiated by habitat (coralline algae etc. on exposed coast vs. brown weed in sheltered bays) as well as COI sequence data.
Received All Minimal Data for Discovery
08/04/2026
Description of Material
Body 4.5 - 9 mm long, 0.4 mm wide, light fawn, with semi-translucent integument. An opaque white mid-dorsal line (diffuse in some specimens) extends from anterior to posterior tip, gradually becoming more interrupted toward the posterior. Small juveniles have a very diffuse mid-dorsal white line but it is still visible. Cephalic lobe is wider than neck, rounded, one and a half times as long as it is wide, separated from body by a neck furrow. Prominent oblique cerebral organ furrows visible dorsally and ventrally. Two pairs of ocelli, the first pair larger than the second. Two diffuse brown patches extend posterior from each of the anterior eyes but do not reach beyond cerebral organ furrows. Posterior tip is bluntly pointed. Rhynchocoel extends to near posterior tip. Stylet basis pear shaped, widest at its rounded distal end, with a slight constriction in centre, the extent of which varies from specimen to specimen. S/B = 0.7. Two accessory stylet sacs with 2 – 3 stylets in each.
Ecology
Most commonly found in coralline or other algae and occasionally in clusters of sea squirts or among serpulid worm Galeolaria on rocky reefs on exposed coasts in intertidal zone.
Distribution
This species is found across the coastline from Mallacoota to Portland, Victoria, Australia.
Scientific Name Authorship
Maslakova, Svetlana
Marengo - Cape - and Hayley Pt;31 - Nemertea;BQDAC0020;MRG835-14;Tetrastemma sp. SMSA003;SMSA003;SP02565;AN016610;NMVF290124;PID0135526
Marengo - Cape - and Hayley Pt;31 - Nemertea;BQDAC0020;MRG835-14;Tetrastemma sp. SMSA003;SMSA003;SP02565;AN016610;NMVF290124;PID0135526
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