PORT PHILLIP BAY


Pycnogonid 

Oropallene minor Clark, 1963

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Family level characters.
TRUNK: Elongate with widely spaced lateral processes or compact with lateral processes touching.
ABDOMEN: Typically short, inflated.
EYES: 4-8.
PROBOSCIS: Variable but usually short.
SCAPES: 1 or 2-segmented.
CHELAE: Full functional and often robust.
PALPS: Typically lacking but maybe present with 1 to 4 segments, often sexually dimorphic.
OVIGERS: Typically 10-segmented, rarely 9 segmented, with apophysis on 5th segment, strigilis, terminal claw present or absent.
LEGS: Eight legs only, long or short.
TARSUS: shorter than propodus.
AUXILIARY CLAWS: Present or absent.
CEMENT GLAND(S): If present, on ventral femora but seldom evident.
GENITAL PORES: second coxae of all legs of female, either legs 3 & 4 or all legs of male .

Genus level characters.
TRUNK: segmented, smooth. Lateral processes separated or touching at bases, many possess spine or tubercles.
EYES: 4 eyes: Ocular tubercle posterior.
PROBOSCIS: Proboscis short cylindrical.
ABDOMEN: Usually reaching to end of fourth lateral processes but sometimes longer.
SCAPES: 1- segmented.

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Arthropoda
Subphylum:
Cheliceriformes
Class:
Pycnogonida
Order:
Pantopoda
Family:
Callipallenidae
Genus:
Oropallene
Species:
minor

Other Names

  • Sea spider

General Description

Body with proboscis projecting outward from front, with the mouth at the tip. Central body (trunk) behind the proboscis, with a raised, rounded area (tubercle) bearing four eyes. Eight segmented walking legs attached to the sides of the trunk. Small abdomen behind trunk, inflated. Leg span about 1 cm.

Biology

This species has a scientific name that reflects its small size compared to the other species of its genus group. Males carry the eggs, holding them between body parts called ovigers that hang under the animal.

Habitat

On or near hydroids, to depth of 144 m.

Reefs

Distribution guide

South-eastern Australia, including eastern Victoria.

Species Group

Sea spiders

Depth

Shallow (1-30 m)
Deep ( > 30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

1 cm

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Native to Australia

Conservation Status

  • DSE Advisory List : Not listed
  • EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
  • IUCN Red List : Not listed

Author

article author Staples, D.

David Staples is a consultant with expertise in pycnogonid taxonomy.

citation

Cite this page as:
Staples, D., 2011, Pycnogonid, Oropallene minor, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 08 Feb 2025, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/6258

Text: creative commons cc by licence