Marine Flatworms discovered by Neville Coleman

Phylum: Platyhelminthes (Platy-hel-min-th-es) Flatworms
Class:  Turbellaria (Tur-bell-ar-ia)

Few divers recognise flatworms and, if they do, they generally see only the more brightly coloured species. Even then they may confuse them with nudibranchs (shell-less molluscs). Although many tropical species may be seen in the open during the day, temperate species are less obvious, living beneath rocks and stones, or hidden among the hollows, or folds of their invertebrate prey. 

Beautiful pseudoceros

Pseudoceros sp.

The Beautiful pseudoceros Pseudoceros sp. was first found, photographed and collected at Heron Island GBR in 1974. This species has so far only been encountered twice in all the years I have been searching for flatworms. ( Australian Museum)  

In most cases, a closer look will reveal the difference between a flatworm and a nudibranch. The greater number of marine flatworms are grouped in the order Polycladida. The term “flatworm” includes the tubellarians, or free-living flatworms, parasitic flukes and tapeworms, but is used here to refer to the turbellarians.

Flatworms have no external gills (unlike most nudibranchs) but some have marginal tentacles at the “head” end which may contain simple eyes, and other species may have dorsal tentacles issuing from the back near the “head”. 

Flatworms are hermaphrodites, having complex male and female sex organs. Mating and cross fertilisation occur between two individuals. Eggs are laid on the substrate in spirals, similar to an open-ended circle. Remarkably, the spiral egg ribbons of some flatworms are very similar to those of some nudibranchs.

Most species living in the sea are predatory and carnivorous. In my experience many flatworms feed on colonial ascidians, soft corals and bryozoans. Only a few species show any specific body colour patterns that relate to the markings of the species on which they prey.
    

Similar broard- stripe pseudoceros

Pseudoceros paralaticlavus, Newman & Cannon, 1994 

The specimen and image of this Similar broard- stripe pseudoceros Pseudoceros paralaticlavus was from my original collection of specimens made during a 1 month camping/collecting expedition to Tryon Island on the Great Barrier Reef in 07-1969.
(Australian Museum)

Southern cycloporus

Cycloporus australis Prudhoe,  

Cycloporus australis Southern cycloporus Kangroo Isl. SA 1976. This species was found beneath a rock in shallow water feeding on its food compound ascidian Leach's Botrylloides leachii. At the time I was taking part in a joint Victorian Museum/South Australian Museum expedition determining the flora and fauna of kangaroo Island South Australia.
( South Australian Museum)

Lord Howe paraplanocera

 Paraplanocera sp.

The Lord Howe paraplanocera Paraplanocera sp.Lord Howe Island 02-1980.
Still undescribed, this little species was a very exciting discovery at the time because it had tentacles over the 'brain' region and at that time I had only seen one other species which had this feature. It was only 25mm and we now know that similar forms are found across the Pacific.
( Australian Museum)

Hyman's pseudobiceros

Pseudobiceros hymanae Newman & Cannon, 1994


Hyman's pseudobiceros Pseudobiceros hymanae found on a sponge at 12 metres in Cockburn Sound, Fremantle WA 01-1972. At 50mm this specimen was interesting for the fact that it appeared similar to another species I had found previously on the east coast of Australia, except for the black mantle edge. ( Australian Museum)

Dusky - spotted maritigrella

Maritigrella fuscopunctatus Newman & Cannon, 2000 

Dusky - spotted maritigrella Maritigrella fuscopunctatus found at 8 metres at Heron Island GBR 11 - 1976.
Although I only found this species on two different years at Heron Island, I did find it again at Lizard island, Great Barrier Reef. While the markings around the edge of the mantle can be lighter or filled in to appear quite dark, and the spots may be small, or larger, the species appears visually identifyable. ( Australian Museum)

Susan's pseudoceros

 Pseudoceros susanae Newman & Anderson, 1997

Susan's pseudoceros Pseudoceros susanae found during a fauna survey of Norfolk Island 11-1988. The image was published in my "Nature of Norfolk Island" book in 1991. At the time it was undescribed, after seeing my images, the senior author visited Norfolk Island to obtain more specimens. ( Queensland Museum)  

Sparky pseudoceros

 Pseudoceros scintillatus Newman & Cannon, 1994

 Sparky pseudoceros Pseudoceros scintillatus found in the lagoon at 5 metres at Lizard Island GBR 11-1976 during an Australian Museum expedition. The first images of this amazing species were such a thrill to get back from processing. I had never seen anything like it before. ( Australian Museum)

Sparky pseudoceros

 Pseudoceros scintillatus Newman & Cannon, 1994 

This specimen of Sparky pseudoceros Pseudoceros scintillatus was found during the initial flora and fauna survey of Lord Howe Island in 1980.
The pattern was a bit different to the Lizard Island one , BUT I new it was the same species and it added a bit more to its distribution. Only 15mm, it was too small for me to get really good shots underwater, so I resorted to taxonomic photography in a small aquarium. ( Australian Museum)

Gold -spotted pseudobiceros

 Pseudobiceros sp.

 Gold -spotted pseudobiceros Pseudobiceros sp. discovered at 7 metres at  Heron Island Great barrier Reef in 12 - 1976.
What a magnificient species this is, just amazing! It was only noticed over a 3 year period at heron island and since those days I have never seen it since. However, this species is recorded from Papua New Guinea, Newman & Cannon 2003. ( Australian Museum)

Houtman Abrolhos pseudobiceros

Pseudobiceros sp. 

 The Houtman Abrolhos pseudobiceros Pseudobiceros sp. was discovered during the Australian Coastal Marine Expedition at low tide at the Houtman Abrolhos Western Australia in  05-1971. At the time this specimen was unique. Since then I have photographed exactly the same species ( without hardly any variation in pattern, or colour) at Heron Island on the Great Barrier Reef in 1989.
( Australian Museum) 

Lizard maritigrella

 Maritigrella sp.

The Lizard maritigrella Maritigrella sp. is fairly rare and only one specimen was found at 6 metres in the lagoon at Lizard Island Great Barrier Reef in 11-1976.
Since then it has remained undescribed and I have never seen it again. ( Australian Museum)

Gravier's pseudoceros

Pseudoceros gravieri Newman & Cannon, 1994

One of the first new species to be discovered during our pioneering expeditions to  Milne Bay Papua New Guinea from 1980 onwards, this specimen of Gravier's pseudoceros was discovered and photographed in 1981.
The species prooved to be fairly common over the next few years and has remained so in the interim. There is some variation in the pattern from juveniles to adults, but in all respects, the colour and pattern are always simple to determine.
( Queensland Museum)

Orange - margined pseudoceros

Pseudoceros periaurantius Newman & Cannon, 1994

This Orange - margined pseudoceros Pseudoceros periaurantius was found in only 3 metres of water during an Australian Museum expedition to Lizard Island Great Barrier Reef in 11 - 1975.

Magnificent pseudoceros

Pseudoceros sp.

Still awaiting description this Magnificent pseudoceros Pseudoceros sp. was first found at Byron Bay New South Wales ( Julian Rock's survey) in 1976, but images were not able to be obtained and it was not till dives on the reefs off the  Gold Coast Queensland in 1983 that they were seen to be common and images were managed. Newman & Cannon have a record from Heron Island
during the 1990's, in their flatworm book, 1993.

Port Phillip paraplanocera

Paraplanocera sp. 

The temperate water flatworms are not well known in identification guides and visual identification is only advanced for a few species.  The Port Phillip paraplanocera Paraplanocera sp. was found beneath a rock at Portsea, Port Phillip Bay Victoria in 03-1975. It has a number of minute white papillae on the dorsal surface and one is reminded of the New Zealand form. ( Australian Museum) 

Imitation pseudoceros

Pseudoceros imitatus Newman & Cannon, 1994

My first images and specimen of the Imitation pseudoceros Pseudoceros imitatus was made at Marion Reef, Coral Sea in 08-1977. I was apsolutely captivated, as it showed a immediate resemblance to the nudibranch Phyllidia pustulosa and allowed the possibility that there may be others that mimicked toxic nudibranchs. (Australian Museum)

Lizard paraplanocera

Paraplanocera sp.

 Found beneath a dead coral slab in 7 metres of water at Lizard island Great Barrier Reef in  01-1977, the Lizard paraplanocera Paraplanocera sp. has a behaviour only observed in this genus. When approaching prey it lifts up the front of its mantle and actually "throws" it over the prey,
entrapping it beneath. ( Australian Museum)

Warroora pseudobiceros

Pseudobiceros sp.

Common name refers to the station that borders the shoreline in this area. The Warroora pseudobiceros Pseudobiceros sp. was found in 6 metres of water beneath adead coral slab at Warroora Western Australia in 06-1972. ( Australian Museum)

Linda's pseudoceros

Pseudoceros lindae Newman & Cannon, 1994

Linda's pseudoceros Pseudoceros lindae was common during our original pioneering expeditions to Milne Bay Papua New Guinea in the 1980's. This species was first found during a survey in 12-1981.
Newman & Cannon earliest specimens recorded was for 1990 at Heron Island Great Barrier Reef. ( Queensland Museum)

Maiden maritigrella

Maritigrella virgulata Newman & Cannon, 2000

First found at Heron Island Great Barrier Reef  in 11- 1976, the Maiden maritigrella Maritigrella virgulata was sheltering beneath a dead coral rock at 15 metres.

It was thought for some time that this was similar to the species Maritgritella sp. I found from Dunsborough Western Australia in 1971, but this was disputed by L&C. ( Australian Museum)

Purple - bands pseudoceros

Pseudoceros peripurpureus Newman & Cannon, 1994
 
Only found once at this location, the Purple - bands pseudoceros  Pseudoceros peripurpureus was rare at Heron Island Great Barrier Reef in 1977 when I discovered this specimen. it grows to 50 mm and feeds on ascidians.
( Australian Museum) 

Fire -like pseudoceros

Pseudoceros sp. 

This species was initally identified as Pseudoceros ferrugineus. However, upon reference to a number of images of that species from all across its range ( which are very stable in colour and pattern) the Fire -like pseudoceros Pseudoceros sp. does not appear to be that species.
Found at 18 metres at Milne Bay Papua New Guinea in 12-1981.
( Queensland Museum) 

Saphire pseudoceros

Pseudoceros sapphirinus Newman & Cannon, 1994

Found at lizard island Great Barrier Reef in 10- 1979, the Saphire pseudoceros Pseudoceros sapphirinus occurs in shallow to deep water and at the time and location was not considered common. It is far more common at Heron Island on the Great Barrier Reef, where I also found it many
times in the early 1980's. ( Australian Museum)

Network pseudoceros

Pseudoceros sp.

A very exciting find was this Network pseudoceros Pseudoceros sp. at 20 metres at Heron Island Great Barrier Reef in 11 - 1976. I had never seen anything like it then and have never seen it since. ( Australian Museum) 

Prudhoe's pseudoceros

Pseudoceros prudhoei Newman & Cannon, 1994

Named in memory of the pioneer flatworm taxonomist Dr. S. Prudhoe from United Kingdom, Prudhoe's pseudoceros  Pseudoceros prudhoei was first recognised by me as a species I was not familiar with at Lord Howe Island in 10 -1984.
( Queensland Museum) 

Lord Howe pseudoceros

Pseudoceros sp.

A brilliant little species that required taxonomic photography the Orange -black Margined pseudoceros Pseudoceros sp. was located at 16 metres at Lord Howe Island 1980. It is very similar to Pseudoceros concinnus but not quite.
( Queensland Museum)

Lord Howe Flatworm 

Lord Howe Flatworm  -Undescribed species Lord Howe Island  1980

White - speckled pseudoceros

Pseudoceros sp.

This White - speckled pseudoceros Pseudoceros sp. Lord Howe Island 01-2002 appears to undescribed, with no reference in the literature.

MORE SPECIES BEING ADDED AT REGULAR INTERVALS