Australonoe is a monotypic genus of marine annelid worms belonging to the family Polynoidae, commonly known as scale worms. The sole described species within this genus is Australonoe willani Hanley, 1993.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Annelida
- Class: Polychaeta
- Subclass: Errantia
- Order: Phyllodocida
- Family: Polynoidae
- Genus: Australonoe Hanley, 1993
- Species: Australonoe willani Hanley, 1993 (type species)
Description
Australonoe willani possesses a short, compact body comprising 39 segments. Each segment bears a pair of elytra (scale‑like dorsal plates), totaling 16 pairs. The prostomium (head region) features a pair of acute anterior projections, and the lateral antennae are inserted ventrally beneath the prostomium and median antenna. Both the palps and antennae, as well as dorsal and ventral cirri, are equipped with papillae. Notochaetae (dorsal bristles) are roughly equal in thickness to neurochaetae (ventral bristles). The neurochaetae include both unidentate and bidentate forms. In life, the prostomium exhibits a reddish hue, while the remainder of the body and elytra are orange.
Distribution and Habitat
The species is known only from the south‑east Indian Ocean, specifically from the waters surrounding Rottnest Island off the coast of Western Australia. It inhabits marine environments, but detailed ecological preferences beyond this locality have not been extensively documented.
References
- Hanley, J. R. (1993). “Scaleworms (Polychaeta: Polynoidae) of Rottnest Island, Western Australia.” In Proceedings of the Fifth International Marine Biological Workshop: The Marine Flora and Fauna of Rottnest Island, Western Australia (pp. 305–320). Western Australian Museum, Perth.
- Read, G. B., & Fauchald, K. (2020). “The World Polychaeta Database.” World Register of Marine Species.
Note: All information is derived from peer‑reviewed taxonomic literature and reputable marine species databases such as the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) and the Australian Faunal Directory.
