Family PALLENOPSIDAE Fry, 1978
Introduction
For many years Pallenopsis was referred to the Callipallenidae, with which it was consistent in having, inter alia, a 10-articled oviger in both sexes, palps absent or present only as small, one-articled buds, and functional chelae. Stock (1978) transferred the genus to the Phoxichilidiidae, and Arnaud and Bamber (1987) followed his example. Child (1992, 1995) returned the genus to the Callipallenidae, an move supported by Bamber (2002) as the protonymphon larva was not consistent with Phoxichilidiidae.
Recent cladistic analyses of the Pycnogonida (Arango 2002, 2003; Arango & Wheeler 2007) indicated that the genus Pallenopsis is not closely related to either the Phoxichilidiidae or the Callipallenidae. It now seems appropriate to draw the logical conclusion from the variety of evidence, and recognise the genus as inappropriate to either of these families: rather, the family Pallenopsidae of Fry (1978) is re-erected for Pallenopsis. It may further prove appropriate (or at least convenient) to raise Stock’s (1974) subgenera to full generic rank (see Bamber 2004).
Diagnosis
Trunk fully segmented, lateral processes usually short or elongate, some with tubercles, anterior pair slightly erect; proboscis usually a short cylinder; scapes of 1 or 2 segments, scape segmentation line sometimes residual, chelae fully chelate, fingers placed a right angle to palm, often with serrate edges, usually a setose pad at base of movable finger; palps 1-segmented knobs; ovigers 10-segmented in sometimes 9-segmented in with simple spines, without 5th apophysis or terminal claw; legs usually long, slender, sometimes heavily setose, tarsus short, propodus well curved, usually with heel spines, almost always with auxiliaries. Cement gland outlet a mid-ventral tube of varying length, sometimes on a swelling.
Diagnosis References
Arango, C.P. & Wheeler, W.C. 2007. Phylogeny of the sea spiders (Arthropoda, Pycnogonida) based on direct optimization of six loci and morphology. Cladistics 23: 255-293
Bamber, R.N. 2004. Pycnogonids (Arthropods: Pycnogonida) from French Cruises to Melanesia. Zootaxa 551: 1-27 [14]
General References
Arango, C.P. 2002. Morphological phylogenetics of the sea spiders (Arthropoda: Pycnogonida). Organisms, Diversity and Evolution 2: 107-125
Arango, C.P. 2003. Molecular approach to the phylogenetics of sea spiders (Pycnogonida, Arthropoda) using nuclear ribosomal DNA and morphology. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 28: 588-600
Arango, C.P. & Wheeler, W.C. 2007. Phylogeny of the sea spiders (Arthropoda, Pycnogonida) based on direct optimization of six loci and morphology. Cladistics 23: 255-293
Arnaud, F. & Bamber, R.N. 1987. The Biology of Pycnogonida. pp. 1-96 in Blaxter, J.H.S. & Southward, A.J. (eds). Advances in Marine Biology. London : Academic Press Vol. 24.
Bamber, R.N. 2001. Rediscovery of Nymphon gerlachei Giltay, 1935 (Arthropoda, Pycnogonida). Antarctic Science 13(3): 237-239
Bamber, R.N. 2004. Pycnogonids (Arthropoda: Pycnogonida) from New Caledonia, Fiji and Tonga. Mémoires du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris [1936-1950] 191: 73-83
Bamber, R.N. 2004. Pycnogonids (Arthropods: Pycnogonida) from French Cruises to Melanesia. Zootaxa 551: 1-27
Child, C.A. 1991. Pycnogonida of the western Pacific islands, IX. A shallow-water Guam survey, 1984. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 104(1): 138-146
Fry, W.G. 1978. A classification within the pycnogonids. Journal of the Linnean Society of London, Zoology 63: 1-2
Stock, J.H. 1974. Medio-and infralittoral Pycnogonida collected during the I.I.O.E. near the landbase of Nossi-Be, Madagascar. Bulletin Zoölogisch Museum, Universiteit van Amsterdam 4(3): 11-22
Stock, J.H. 1978. Abyssal Pycnogonida from the north-eastern Atlantic Basin, part 1. Cahiers de Biologie Marine 19(4): 397-413
History of changes
| Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12-Feb-2010 | (import) |