“Genus Zodionemertes gen. nov.

Type species

Zodionemertes chilensis sp. nov.

Etymology

The generic name is derived from the Greek zodio (a small animal, diminutive of zoon) and refers to the size of the nemerteans.

Diagnosis

Heteronemertea with a single pair of horizontal lateral cephalic slits; caudal cirrus absent; proboscis simple, unbranched, containing outer longitudinal, middle circular and inner longitudinal muscle layers, the outer layer weakly developed and incomplete, and no muscle crosses; rhynchocoel wall circular muscles not interwoven with adjacent body wall inner longitudinal muscle fibres; dorsal fibrous core of cerebral ganglia posteriorly forked into upper and lower branches; nervous system with neither neurochords nor neurochord cells; foregut with subepithelial gland cell zone and weakly developed longitudinal splanchnic muscles situated between foregut epithelium and underlying glands; rear portion of foregut developed into posteriorly directed caecum extending below anterior intestine; no longitudinal muscle plate between foregut and rhynchocoel; dermal glands organized into distinct peripheral layer, separated from body wall outer longitudinal muscles by thin sheet of connective tissue; blood system with cephalic lacuna, foregut vascular plexus and three longitudinal vessels in intestinal region which are not joined by transverse connectives; cephalic glands moderately well developed; no frontal organ; eyes present; sexes probably separate.”

(Gibson, 1985; 211-212)