APHOTOMARINE

An educational resource dedicated mainly to the photography
and diversity of marine life that can be found in coastal waters
and intertidal areas of Great Britain and Ireland by David Fenwick.

A-P-H-O-T-O Wildlife Stock Image Library
Argonemertes sp. (c.f. A. dendyi) - A non-native terrestrial nemertine or Smiling worm (Nemerteans)
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Smiling / Nemertine worm
Argonemertes sp.
(c.f. A. dendyi)
- worm dorsal view 2

Smiling / Nemertine worm
Argonemertes sp.
(c.f. A. dendyi)
- worm dorsal view 3

Smiling / Nemertine worm
Argonemertes sp.
(c.f. A. dendyi)
- worm dorsal view 4

Smiling / Nemertine worm
Argonemertes sp.
(c.f. A. dendyi)
- worm anterior 2

Specimen above found under rotting timber at Roscadeghill Parc, Heamoor, Penzance, Cornwall, 11.04.13.

The specimen above was DNA sequenced at the Natural History Museum in London, the sequence being found not represent any described species. Although very similar this species is not Argonemertes dendyi, which has a different barcode. The species is waiting to be described.

It is thought the species might have been introduced by Treseders Nursery from Australia on the trunks of tree ferns at the begining of the 20th century. The authors garden is just a couple of miles from Trewidden Gardens where Dicksonia antarctica was first grown outdoors in the UK. Dicksonia is grown even closer to the author at Morrab Gardens, Penzance and at Trengwainton Garden and has even naturalized in woods near Skimmel Bridge.

An expert in Australia believes it is unlikely the species survives in the wild in Australia due to environmental change due to climate change, deforestation and development.

Tags: Argonemertes new UK species terrestrial nemertean ribbon smiling worm nemertine NNS non-native alien Australian APHOTOMARINE October 2013

Argonemertes species nemertine nemertean nemertea, smilling worm Marine Images
The main objective of this website is in furthering environmental awareness and education through the medium of photography. To increase awareness and access to the wildlife of the region and help
people find and identify it. Sometimes the difference between species is obvious but many species can only be determined by observing microscopic characteristics that are specific to any one species.