Gononemertes australiensis

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Gononemertes australiensis
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Nemertea
Class: Hoplonemertea
Order: Monostilifera
Family: Prosorhochmidae
Genus: Gononemertes
Species:
G. australiensis
Binomial name
Gononemertes australiensis
Gibson, 1974

Gononemertes australiensis is a parasitic ribbon worm. [1] It lives commensally in the ascidian Pyura pachydermatina found in the sublittoral waters of the New Zealand. G. australiensis was found in specimens of P. pachydermatina collected in Sydney harbor. [note 1] These worms were found specifically in the atrium of P. pachydermatina. [2] It is dioecious and has several gonads. Each of its gonads produce several oocytes while the male worms carry testes along its parenchyma. Fertilization is external. [2]

Notes

  1. The paper describing G. australiensis states the type specimen was collected in Sidney Harbor, although every paper published since states that the host ascidian, P. pachydermatina is only found in waters off the South Island of New Zealand.

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References

  1. Gibson, Ray (1974). "A new species of commensal hoplonemertean from Australia". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 55 (3): 247–266. doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.1974.tb01647.x. ISSN   0024-4082.
  2. 1 2 Egan, EA; Anderson, DT (1979). "The Reproduction of the Entozoic Nemertean Gononemertes australiensis Gibson (Nemertea: Hoplonemertea : Monostylifera) Gonads, Gametes, Embryonic Development and Larval Development". Marine and Freshwater Research. 30 (5): 661. doi:10.1071/MF9790661. ISSN   1323-1650.