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]
| Gononemertes australiensis | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Nemertea |
| Class: | Hoplonemertea |
| Order: | Monostilifera |
| Family: | Prosorhochmidae |
| Genus: | Gononemertes |
| Species: | G. australiensis
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| Binomial name | |
| Gononemertes australiensis Gibson, 1974
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Notes
edit- ^ 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.
References
edit- ^ 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.
- ^ a b 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.
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