Fig. 2

Oviposition in Lineus ruber. A–C Photographs of live specimens taken under the stereomicroscope. A Adult specimens of L. ruber show the typical elongated ribbon-like appearance of nemertean worms, with a dark red pigmentation throughout the body. The head region is of lighter red color, and contains several pairs of eyespots (white arrows) and a terminal anterior proboscis (asterisk). B Oviposition occurs through the multiple gonopores located on both lateral sides of the female. Several fertilized oocytes are packed within individual pyriform capsules, which are bounded together inside a jelly mass. As the female releases the eggs and secretes the jelly, it glides out of the forming egg string. C Laid egg mass containing multiple egg capsules. The entire development occurs inside this mass. E.g., egg capsules, hd head, jl jelly cover, wm worm