Tetrodotoxin in two species of ribbon worm (Nemertini), Lineus fuscoviridis and Tubulanus punctatus.

Extracts of two species of ribbon worm, Lineus fuscoviridis and Tubulanus punctatus, had lethal potencies in mice from 15-503 MU/g of worm and from less than 10-540 MU/g, respectively. The toxins were partially purified by ultrafiltration and column chromatography using Bio-Gel P-2 and Bio-Rex 70 (H+ form). Thin-layer chromatographic, high performance liquid chromatographic and gas chromatography-mass spectrometric analyses revealed the presence of tetrodotoxin and anhydrotetrodotoxin plus some unidentified compounds.