Nereis (Leonnates) ehlersi Augener, 1913.

https://www.marinespecies.org/polychaeta/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=324844.

Hutchings and Reid (1990).

Ventrum of anterior chaetigers with rows of tubercles extending to the base of each neuropodium (minimal diagnosis). Dorsal notopodial ligule commences chaetiger 1; prostomium anterior margin entire; maxillary ring of pharynx with papillae present (secondary diagnosis).

Palpophore barrel-shaped, approximately equal width from base to palpostyle (not overly large compared with palpostyle). Ventrum of anterior chaetigers with rows of tubercles extending to the base of each neuropodium.

Maxillary ring of pharynx with papillae present (sometimes with horny tips); solitary; 50–110 papillae in total. Maxillary ring paragnaths absent. Oral ring papillae absent. Oral ring paragnaths absent.

Dorsal notopodial ligule present; commences chaetiger 1; not markedly elongate on posterior chaetigers; not markedly broader on posterior chaetigers; not markedly reduced on posterior chaetigers. Prechaetal notopodial lobe present; smaller than dorsal notopodial ligule on anterior chaetigers, usually reduced or absent posteriorly; restricted to a limited number of anterior chaetigers. Notopodial acicular process absent. Dorsal cirrus not sub-terminally attached to dorsal notopodial ligule on posterior chaetigers; not terminally attached to dorsal notopodial ligule on posterior chaetigers; not terminally attached throughout all chaetigers.

Neuropodial prechaetal lobe absent. Neuropodial postchaetal lobe present; projecting beyond end of the acicular ligule; digitiform. Ventral neuropodial ligule of anterior chaetigers present.

Notoaciculae on chaetigers 1 and 2 absent. Notochaetae: homogomph spinigers present. Neurochaetae dorsal fascicle: heterogomph spinigers absent; homogomph spinigers present; sesquigomph spinigers present. Neurochaetae dorsal fascicle: sesquigomph falcigers present; blades serrated; heterogomph falcigers in anterior chaetigers absent; on posterior chaetigers absent. Neurochaetae ventral fascicle: sesquigomph falcigers present; heterogomph spinigers absent; homogomph spinigers absent; sesquigomph spinigers present; heterogomph falcigers absent.

Anal cirri form cirriform or conical.

Australonereis is a monotypic genus. The single species A.ehlersi (Augener, 1913) occurs only in southern Australian estuaries where these large and often locally abundant worms are instantly recognisable by the conspicuous rows of tuberculae on the ventral surface; living specimens are also much more fragile than those belonging to other genera of Nereididae and readily fragment in the field.