Tetranemertes unistriata, Cherneva & Ellison & Zattara & Norenburg & Schwartz & Junoy & Maslakova, 2023
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publication ID |
https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1181.109521 |
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publication LSID |
lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E38531F2-8073-4B9E-A3EC-E05D03865AF5 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9FB78688-612F-4270-A2E7-7EC25451D2BD |
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taxon LSID |
lsid:zoobank.org:act:9FB78688-612F-4270-A2E7-7EC25451D2BD |
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treatment provided by |
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scientific name |
Tetranemertes unistriata |
| status |
sp. nov. |
Tetranemertes unistriata sp. nov.
Fig. 7 View Figure 7
Diagnosis.
Tetranemertes unistriata sp. nov. differs from most other described species of the genus by its color pattern: a single pale to dark pink mid-dorsal longitudinal stripe on a pale yellow to pale pinkish background. Resembles T. rubrolineata from Madagascar ( Kirsteuer 1965) in body color. Although tissue for DNA analysis is not available for T. rubrolineata from Madagascar, DNA sequences from individuals collected by SAM from the Arabian Sea and identified as T. rubrolineata clearly separate the two species. DNA barcodes of T. unistriata sp. nov. are also clearly distinct from those of all other sequenced species of the genus (Table 5 View Table 5 ).
Material examined.
Type material in the form of histological sections and tissue in 95% ethanol is deposited with the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History. Holotype: 490_071099_2 (USNM 1011574), paratype 490_070999_1 (USNM 1011573). Additional specimens, accession numbers, and collecting information can be found in Tables 1 View Table 1 , 2 View Table 2 .
Description.
External appearance of live specimens. Body thin, thread-like, a few centimeters in length, and less than a millimeter in width. Anterior and posterior ends are gently tapering, bluntly rounded. Color in life varies from pale yellowish orange to pale pink, with a continuous thin reddish or dark pink mid-dorsal longitudinal stripe that reaches from anterior to posterior tip of body (Fig. 7A View Figure 7 ). Head the same width or slightly narrower than the rest of body, demarcated from the rest of body by a pair of ventral anterior cephalic furrows, nearly fused mid-ventrally to form a shallow anteriorly pointed “V” (Fig. 7B View Figure 7 ). Rhynchostomopore appears as a short ventral slit, at the anterior tip of head. Small dark ocelli (9-12 on each side of head) are arranged in four longitudinal rows, the two rows on each side of head almost directly on top of one another (Fig. 7D, E View Figure 7 ). The smaller individual from Oman had fewer ocelli (Fig. 7G, I View Figure 7 ). Cerebral ganglia large, yellowish or pinkish, partly translucent, show through the body wall (Fig. 7D, E, G View Figure 7 ). Cerebral organs small, inconspicuous.
Rhynchocoel and proboscis. Rhynchocoel length unknown, but likely restricted to anterior-most region of body. Proboscis short and thin. Stylets were examined in one ~ 8-cm long individual (paratype) from Japan, and the ~ 2 cm long individual from Oman. Central stylet with a straight spirally sculpted shaft, 20-50 μm long. Basis cylindrical, deeply forked posteriorly, 25-75 μm long (Fig. 7E View Figure 7 ). Two accessory stylet pouches with 2 stylets each. Smaller individual from Oman had considerably smaller stylets and smaller cylindrical basis, rounded posteriorly (Fig. 7H View Figure 7 ).
Reproduction. No data.
Habitat.
Free-living, marine. Among brown and branched calcareous algae at the depths of 1-2 m in the type locality in Japan. Among coral rubble at 4-9 m depths in Oman.
Geographic distribution.
Type locality is near Seto Marine Laboratory on the Pacific coast of Honshu Island, Japan. One other individual was collected by SAM in the Arabian Sea (Dhofar Governorate, Oman).
Etymology.
Specific epithet reflects the color pattern of living individuals.
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.