3 Worm species from Lembeh - North Sulawesi

[Dave H 0]

Here are 3 worm species that I photographed in Lembeh in Sulawesi ac couple of weeks ago - any assistance on the ID's would be appreciated!

 

Flatworm species found on sand - about 5cm long

 

Flatworm species

 

Small worm that lives underneath seastars and sea cucumbers and I can't remember the name of it!!

[Leslie 0]

The polychaete - excellent shot by the way - is either Asterophilia carlae or A. culcitae, probably A. carlae. The second species was recently described from Vietnam but the starfish it lives on are all over the IP so the worm might be as well. Unfortunately the differences between the two species are microscopic (scale structure & setal structure) so they can't be distinguished from a photo.

 

Off the top of my head the top flattie might be Pseudobiceros flowersi with an unusually wide median white streak. The second is a more typical P. flowersi. Don't trust my poor memory-- don't you have Newman & Cannon?

[Dave H 0]

Don't trust my poor memory-- don't you have Newman & Cannon?

 

Hi Leslie, A big thanks for the help as always!

 

I have been looking through the electronic version of Newman and Cannon this morning and I've had no joy. Both the flatworms in the images above were about 50-70mm long and according to Newman & Cannon Pseudobiceros flowersi grows to a max length of 40mm. I think the 1st species above has some resemblence to P. flowersi however I'm convinced about the 2nd species as the marginal band is very narrow and green 9as is the body colour) whilst P.flowersi is brown - now I'm confused!!!

 

I think i'll just call them P. flowersi, that makes it easy!

 

cheers,

Dave

[Leslie 0]

Yeah, that first one is pretty iffy. Obviously you need to consult with "flattie Leslie" as opposed to "poly Leslie" on that. As for maximum length of 40mm, I'd want to know how many specimens they had when they described it. If they only had a few then the measurement doesn't mean much beyond that was the largest they had.

[solenostomus 0]

I would call the third one a scale worm (Arctonoe sp.)

Here's my photo of it from Lembeh

 

I am not 100% certain though, and would also like confirmation.

[Leslie 0]

Nice photo - all the others have the worm scrunched up while yours shows it stretched out. Both Asterophilia and Arctonoe are in the same scaleworm family Polynoidae, same subfamily Arctonoinae, and both tend to be commensals on echinoderms & other inverts. Asterophilia is immediately distinctive because of the inflated dorsal cirri (the club-shaped appendages on the sides) and the big papillae on the elytra.