Stony point Jetty - WP;31 - Nemertea;BQDAF0050;MRG938-02;Zygonemertes sp. SMSA048;SMSA048;SP02562;AN022621;NMVF323480;PID0255894
Species ID
OC-SP-0002984
Discovered
Phylum
Nemertea
Species ID
OC-SP-0002984
Provisional Species Name
Zygonemertes sp_SMSA048
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
23/01/2026
Taxonomic Remarks
There are several cryptic nearly colorless species of Zygonemertes in southeast Australia lacking post-cerebral ocelli which are difficult to separate. Zygonemertes sp. SMSA048 can be distinguished from other similar local species (SMSA048, SMSA049, SMSA050, SMSA051, SMSA052, SMSA058, SMSA067) by its translucent threadlike yellow body and by its inability to crawl in a straight line, and by COI sequence data.
Received All Minimal Data for Discovery
08/04/2026
Description of Material
Body 16-35 mm long, 0.5 mm wide, threadlike, semi-translucent. Background colour uniform light yellow. Cephalic lobe wider than adjacent body region, rounded, twice as long as wide, separated from body by indistinct neck furrow. Oblique cerebral organ furrows visible dorsally and ventrally. Ocelli (18-23 per row) in two irregular rows one on each side of head, none posterior to cerebral ganglia, which are largely colourless. Epidermal sickle-like inclusions present. Posterior tip pointed. Rhynchocoel extends to posterior tip of body. Stylet basis cylindrical, with a slight constriction anterior to the truncated distal end. S/B = 1 – 1.4, two accessory stylet sacs with 2 to 6 stylets in each.
Ecology
Found on sponges and in sediments around sponges in the intertidal zone.
Distribution
Stony Point to McHaffies Point, Westernport, Victoria, Australia
Scientific Name Authorship
Maslakova, Svetlana
Stony point Jetty - WP;31 - Nemertea;BQDAF0050;MRG938-02;Zygonemertes sp. SMSA048;SMSA048;SP02562;AN022621;NMVF323480;PID0255894
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