Family SYNAPTIDAE

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Introduction

The family Synaptidae is tropical and boreal in distribution. It includes 16 genera, eight from Australia. Twenty-two species are recorded in Australian waters.

Synaptids are distinguished from other families in the order Apodida by the following combination of character states: vermiform, with 10 or more digitate or pinnate tentacles; body surface rough or warty; respiratory trees present; ossicles in form of anchors with associated plates and small miliary granules. Rarely ossicles are absent.

General References

Clark, A.M. & Rowe, F.W.E. 1971. Monograph of Shallow-water Indo-west Pacific Echinoderms. London : Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History) 238 pp. 100 figs 31 pls.

Clark, H.L. 1907. The apodous holothurians. A monograph of the Synaptidae and Molpadiidae. Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge 35(1723): 1-231 pls 1-13

Clark, H.L. 1924. The holothurians of the Museum of Comparative Zoölogy: the Synaptinae. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard 65: 459-501 pls 1-12

Heding, S.G. 1928. Synaptidae. Videnskabelige Meddelelser fra Dansk Naturhistorisk Forening i Kjøbenhavn 85: 105-323 figs 1-69 pls 2-3

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