Marphysa tompaulingi
Species of annelid worm
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Marphysa tompaulingi is a species of annelid worm in the family Eunicidae.[1] It is endemic to the islands of the Northern Territory, Australia, where it has currently only been identified from the mid-channel of the Ludmilla Creek, East Point Reserve, Darwin.
| Marphysa tompaulingi | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Annelida |
| Clade: | Pleistoannelida |
| Subclass: | Errantia |
| Order: | Eunicida |
| Family: | Eunicidae |
| Genus: | Marphysa |
| Species: | M. tompaulingi |
| Binomial name | |
| Marphysa tompaulingi Glasby, Biriukova, Hutchings, Daffe & Lavesque, 2025 | |
Description
The species is crimson coloured (iridescent on the top side and lighter red on the underside, with contrasting red branchial filaments) and has cream-coloured prostomial appendages. The holotype measures 98 mm (3.9 in) long, with a 4 mm (0.16 in) width at chaetiger 10. It can be differentiated from M. iloiloensis and M. setiuensis by being more robust, and by lacking a pair of eyes or a shallow notch on the anteroventral margin of the first peristomial ring.[2]
Taxonomy
The species was first described by Christopher J. Glasby, Olga Biriukova, Pat A. Hutchings, Guillemine Daffe and Nicolas Lavesque in 2025.[3] The authors named the species after Australian lawyer Tom Pauling, the former Administrator of the Northern Territory, whose family home is located close to the type locality.[2]
Distribution and habitat
M. tompaulingi is endemic to the Northern Territory, Australia, where it is currently only known to occur in the mid-channel of the brackish mouth of the Ludmilla Creek, East Point Reserve, in Darwin. M. mossambica, also found at the Ludmilla Creek mouth, is known to live in a different habitat, mangrove sediments, rotting timber and Rhizophora stylosa roots.[2]