Cape Conran - Cowrie Bay;31 - Nemertea;BQDAF0050;MRG924-18;Zygonemertes sp. SMSA050;SMSA050;SP02377;AN022084;NMVF290342;PID0239509
Species ID
OC-SP-0002986
Discovered
Phylum
Nemertea
Species ID
OC-SP-0002986
Provisional Species Name
Zygonemertes sp_SMSA050
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 lacking post-cerebral ocelli in southeast Australia which are difficult to separate. Zygonemertes sp. SMSA050 can be distinguished from other similar local species (SMSA048, SMSA049, SMSA050, SMSA051, SMSA052, SMSA058, SMSA067) by having relatively short inner rows of 3-5 ocelli on the head, crenulated distal end of stylet basis, and by COI sequence data. Additionally, this species is only known from far eastern Victoria, a different bioregion with a distinct fauna.
Received All Minimal Data for Discovery
08/04/2026
Description of Material
Body 6 mm long, 0.3 mm wide, threadlike, semi-translucent. Background colour uniform cream with some pinkish colouration from gut contents. Cephalic lobe wider than adjacent body region, 1.5 times longer than it is wide, separated from body by indistinct neck furrow. Oblique cerebral organ furrows visible dorsally and ventrally. Multiple ocelli in two rows on each side of head, the inner row consisting of only 3-5 ocelli, none posterior to cerebral ganglia. Epidermal sickle-like inclusions present. Posterior tip bluntly pointed. Rhynchocoel extends to posterior tip of body. Stylet basis skirt shaped, with a constriction anterior to the distal end, widest at its distal deeply crenulated end. S/B = 0.8, two accessory stylet sacs with two stylets in each.
Ecology
Found in coralline algae in the intertidal zone.
Distribution
Cape Conran, Victoria, Australia
Scientific Name Authorship
Maslakova, Svetlana
Cape Conran - Cowrie Bay;31 - Nemertea;BQDAF0050;MRG924-18;Zygonemertes sp. SMSA050;SMSA050;SP02377;AN022084;NMVF290342;PID0239509
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