PORT PHILLIP BAY


Tube Worm 

Neosabellides australiensis Hartmann-Schröder, 1981

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Family level description.
Ampharetidae are tube-dwelling polychaetes with massed retractable feeding tentacles arising from the mouth, and 2-4 pairs of branchiae arising from the dorsal part of the first segment. The body is differentiated into thoracic and abdominal regions, distinguished by different arrangements of chaetae.

Species level technical description.
Buccal tentacles papillose. Prostomial dorsal glandular ridges absent. Branchiae 3 pairs, all branchiae similar, all smooth. Paleae on segment 3 absent. Nuchal (post branchial) hooks on segment 4 absent. Notochaetae present from segment 5. Segments 3-6 without neurochaetae. Number of pairs of thoracic uncinigers 12. Abdominal notopodial rudiments present.

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Annelida
Class:
Polychaeta
Order:
Terebellida
Family:
Ampharetidae
Genus:
Neosabellides
Species:
australiensis

General Description

In members of this genus, the buccal tentacles are papillose, there are 3 pairs of branchiae and notochaetae are present from segment 5. Body up to about 1 cm long.

Biology

This is apparently the same species as recorded by previous studies in Port Phillip Bay under the name Ampharete sp. There has been no recent taxonomic studies of Ampharetidae in Australian waters so the identification, habitat and wider distribution of this species remains unknown.

Habitat

Soft substrates

Distribution guide

Southern Australia.

Species Group

Worms › Tube worms

Depth

Shore (0-1 m)
Shallow (1-30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

1 cm

Diet

Organic matter

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Recorded in Australia

Species Code

MoV 3253

Identify

Conservation Status

  • DSE Advisory List : Not listed
  • EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
  • IUCN Red List : Not listed

Author

article author Wilson, R.

Robin Wilson is a Senior Curator of marine invertebrates at Museum Victoria.

citation

Cite this page as:
Wilson, R., 2011, Tube Worm, Neosabellides australiensis, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 04 Apr 2025, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/7542

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