Callioplana marginata

Orange-margined flatworm
Callioplana marginata
Callioplana marginata, Port Stephens, NSW, Photo: Tom Davis

Distribution

Temperate Australasia, Tropical Indo-Pacific


Description

Large flatworm up to 8cm in length. Body has dark background colour from black or brown to grey with two bands at the margins: wider inner band is orange, and thinner outer band is white. Body may be darker in colour toward the marginal bands and the median, with paler colouration in between. Head tentacles are non-retractiable, and orange in colour.


Information

Max Size: 5 cm

Sea Temperature Range: 18-27.3°C

Depth: 0-20m

Habitat Generalization Index: N/A

Also referred to as the SGI (Species Generalisation Index), this describes the habitat niche breadth of the species. Species with values less than 15 are found in a relatively narrow range of reef habitat types (specialists), while those over 25 may be found on most hard substrates within their range (generalists). Learn more here.


Conservation and Rarity

IUCN Status: Not Evaluated

Occurrence: Infrequent (5.0% of sites)

Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution. It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed

Abundance: Few (2 per transect)

Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.