Gibson, R. (2002). The invertebrate fauna of New Zealand: Nemertea (ribbon worms). National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) Biodiversity Memoir. 118: 5-85.

338580

Gibson, R.

2002

118: 5-85

Publication

Available for editors   [request]

Marine nemerteans collected from various locations around North Island during August and September 1992 have been studied and seven species recorded. Among these the most widespread, found at several of the collection sites, was the cratenemertid monostiliferous hoplonemertean recently described as Nipponnemertes sanguinea Riser, 1998. The remaining six species are all new to science. Two of these, belonging in previously established monostiliferous hoplonemertean genera, are Amphiporus mortonmilleri sp. nov. and Correanemertes gordoni sp. nov. The remaining four species each prove to belong in new genera; these are the palaeonemertean Sundbergia albula gen. et sp. nov. (the first palaeonemertean taxon described from New Zealand), and the monostiliferous hoplonemerteans Heilogonemertes cooki gen. et sp. nov., Noteonemertes novaezealandiae gen. et sp. nov., and Parischyronemertes mathesonensis gen. et sp. nov. Twenty-eight species of nemerteans, including freshwater and terrestrial taxa, have previously been recorded from New Zealand and its off-lying islands. For the sake of completeness, brief details of these forms are also covered in the present monograph and a key to the known nemerteans reported from New Zealand, now totalling 34 species, is provided. These comprise 24 species from marine habitats, 4 from fresh water, 4 from land, and 2 from supralittoral zones, one of which also occurs in terrestrial conditions. There are strong grounds for considering both supralittoral species (Acteonemertes bathamae, Notogoeanemertes folzae), two of the fresh water (Campbellonemertes johnsi, Potamonemertes percivali), and all three of the terrestrial Antiponemertes species as endemic forms. Far too little is known about the zoogeographic distribution of marine species, however, for any accurate estimates of endemism to be made. It is nevertheless interesting that among the marine taxa, 10 genera and 20 species are so far known only from New Zealand. One of these (Arhynchonemertes axi) is probably endemic, others may be. Remarkably, 9 out of a world-wide total of 34 land and freshwater nemertean species (including terrestrial records of Acteonemertes) have been recorded from New Zealand (27% of the total). No other country can boast such a high percentage of these ecologically specialised taxa. However, at least one of these species (Antiponemertes allisonae) is seriously endangered, if not extinct, as a consequence of habitat loss.

RIS (EndNote, Reference Manager, ProCite, RefWorks)
BibTex (BibDesk, LaTeX)

[Back to search]