Puneet Varma (Editor)

Synaptidae

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Subclass
  
Apodacea

Rank
  
Family

Kingdom
  
Animalia

Phylum
  
Echinodermata

Order
  
Apodida

Class
  
Holothuroidea

Synaptidae httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsthu

Family
  
Synaptidae; Burmeister, 1837

Similar
  
Apodida, Synapta maculata, Synaptula, Euapta godeffroyi, Leptosynapta

Synaptidae is a family of sea cucumbers that have no tube feet, tentacle ampullae, retractor muscles, respiratory trees, or cuvierian organs. They also lack radial canals of the water-vascular system, with only the circumoral ring present.

Synaptids have elongated bodies, and their size varies significantly from small to quite large. Synapta maculata grows to two metres in length. They are quite active, moving by means of waves of peristaltic contractions. Their tegument is somewhat sticky because of the anchor-like spicules that project through the skin.

Genera

According to World Register of Marine Species:

  • genus Anapta Semper, 1867 -- 5 species
  • genus Dactylapta Clark, 1908 -- 1 species
  • genus Epitomapta Heding, 1928 -- 2 species
  • genus Euapta Östergren, 1898 -- 5 species
  • genus Eupatinapta Heding, 1928 -- 2 species
  • genus Labidoplax Östergren, 1898 -- 6 species
  • genus Leptosynapta Verrill, 1867 -- 34 species
  • genus Oestergrenia Heding, 1931 -- 9 species
  • genus Opheodesoma Fisher, 1907 -- 10 species
  • genus Patinapta Heding, 1928 -- 6 species
  • genus Polyplectana Clark, 1908 -- 13 species
  • genus Protankyra Östergren, 1898 -- 36 species
  • genus Rhabdomolgus Keferstein, 1862 -- 1 species
  • genus Rynkatorpa Rowe & Pawson, 1967 -- 13 species
  • genus Synapta Eschscholtz, 1829 -- 2 species
  • genus Synaptula Örstedt, 1849 -- 29 species
  • References

    Synaptidae Wikipedia