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
Tetrastemma herouardi (Oxner, 1908) - A tetrastemmatid nemertean (Nemertean worm images)
Nemertean / Ribbon worm
Tetrastemma herouardi
- dorsal view @Tavis Vor 1

Nemertean / Ribbon worm
Tetrastemma herouardi
- dorsal view @Tavis Vor 2

Nemertean / Ribbon worm
Tetrastemma herouardi
- low tide sample site 1

Nemertean / Ribbon worm
Tetrastemma herouardi
- Tavis Vor, Mousehole 1

A number of specimens of were found in a small scrape sample of Corallina officinalis, Coral Weed, on the low tide mark of a spring tide at Tavis Vor, Mousehole, Cornwall, 05.06.20.

Nemertean / Ribbon worm
Tetrastemma herouardi
- dorsal view 1

Nemertean / Ribbon worm
Tetrastemma herouardi
- dorsal view 2

Nemertean / Ribbon worm
Tetrastemma herouardi
- dorsal view 3

Nemertean / Ribbon worm
Tetrastemma herouardi
- ventral view 1

Specimen above found in a sample of algae taken at Albert Reef, Penzance, Cornwall. 24.03.15.

Nemertean / Ribbon worm
Tetrastemma herouardi
- dorsal view 4

Nemertean / Ribbon worm
Tetrastemma herouardi
- dorsal view 5

Nemertean / Ribbon worm
Tetrastemma herouardi
- dorsal view 6

Specimen above found in the bottom of a container containing a sample of various algae. Algal specimens taken from the lowershore at Chimney Rocks, Penzance, Cornwall. 08.01.15.

Nemertean / Ribbon worm
Tetrastemma herouardi
- microscope view head 1

Nemertean / Ribbon worm
Tetrastemma herouardi
- microscope view head 2

Nemertean / Ribbon worm
Tetrastemma herouardi
- proboscis and stylet 1

Nemertean / Ribbon worm
Tetrastemma herouardi
- proboscis and stylet 2

Specimen above found in an algae / sediment sample from the low tide mark, on the reef at Skilly, south of Newlyn, Cornwall. 17.06.15.

Nemertean / Ribbon worm
Tetrastemma herouardi
- in sediment of sample 1

Two small 3mm long specimens were found in the sediment of a small sample of bryozoan / algal turf. Sample taken just below the low tide level under an overhang at Vellan Drang, The Lizard, Cornwall. 25.09.14. I believe this is only the second UK record, and definately a first confirmed record for Cornwall. The species previously found off Pembrokeshire, Wales, and at Roscoff, France. Perhaps a good explanation for it being found in Cornwall, between these two areas. Being found at Sennen Cove and The Lizard, the species may be reasonably common and quite overlooked because of its size.

Nemertean / Ribbon worm
Tetrastemma herouardi
- with Star ascidians 1

Species seen under a rock amongst Star ascidians on the lowershore at Godrevy Point, near Gwithian, Hayle, Cornwall. 27.09.14.

Below, an unconfirmed record from Sennen Cove, Cornwall.

Nemertean / Ribbon worm
Tetrastemma herouardi ?
- on Callophyllis laciniata 1

Nemertean / Ribbon worm
Tetrastemma herouardi ?
- on Callophyllis laciniata 2

Images of species taken on the lowershore in an under boulder rockpool at Sennen Cove, Penwith, Cornwall. 19.09.12. Species found on Callophyllis laciniata, Beautiful Fan Weed, a red seaweed.

Despite what is written by Gibson in the Synopses of the British Fauna: Nemerteans, this species is clearly and commonly associated with the colonial tunicate Botryllus schlosseri. This is possibly why Gibson associates this species with the algae Cystoseira tamariscifolia, Rainbow Wrack, on which Botryllus schlosseri is commonly epizoic. The species is commonly found in samples taken from headland sites in Cornwall at low water on extra low tides, but can turn up in almost any sample which one might expect as colonial tunicates like Botryllus schlosseri are fairly common.

Tetrastemma herouardi Nemertean Ribbon worm 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.