Micrura wilsoni (Coe, 1904) Common name(s):
Synonyms:
Phylum Nemertea Class Anopla  Order heteronemertea  Family Lineidae
	Micrura wilsoni, probably an anterior fragment
	(Photo by:  Dave Cowles, July 2012)

Description:  This Nemertean worm has a mouth separate from the proboscis pore, and both openings are ventral on the head (photo).  Its head has cephalic slits.  It has no caudal cirrus.  The color of the dorsal side is chestnut to brown with irregularly spaced white lines.  The underside is white or cream (photo).  The edges of the head are white.

How to Distinguish from Similar Species:M. verrilli has a brown or purple dorsum with regularly spaced white, transverse lines and an orange triangle on the dorsal head.

Note:  This photo looks somewhat different from the few other photos available for this species, plus it has fragmented so it is only tentatively identified.

Geographical Range:  (California to Mexico)

Depth Range:  Intertidal and subtidal

Habitat:  Under rocks, in kelp holdfasts, in sandy mud, on piers

Biology/Natural History:  This species fragments easily.  The individual above has probably lost the back part of its body and has only 1 white stripe, just behind its head, left.  The mid-dorsal stripe on its head seems to be on a double ridge which extends back posterior to the head (photo).  The species appears to have many eyes along the edges of the head (photo).
 

References:

General References:

Scientific Articles:

Web sites:

General Notes and Observations:  Locations, abundances, unusual behaviors:

The animal has a pair of raised longitudinal middorsal ridges (colored white on its head).  This individual is hard to focus on because it is crawling rapidly.  Photo by Dave Cowles, July 2012

This view of the side of the head shows what are probably rows of black eyes.  Photo by Dave Cowles, July 2012

This view of the underside of the head (the worm is crawling on the water's surface film) shows the ventral mouth.  Photo by Dave Cowles, July 2012

Salish Sea Invertebrates web site provided courtesy of Walla Walla University