Kingdom Animalia Class Pycnogonida Rank Family | Subphylum Chelicerata Phylum Arthropoda Order Sea spider | |
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Similar Sea spider, Callipallenidae, Colossendeidae, Austrodecidae, Pycnogonum | ||
Characteristics
Most sea spiders in the class Pycnogonida have appendages on the anterior end of the body called chelifores which are used for gathering food and palps which bear sensory organs. Members of the family Pycnogonidae have neither of these, instead using their proboscis to suck juices from their prey. On the first segment of the trunk of male family members there are ovigerous legs on which the larvae are carried. The females do not have these appendages.
Genera
The World Register of Marine Species lists the following genera:
References
Pycnogonidae Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA