PORT PHILLIP BAY


Pycnogonid 

Stylopallene cheilorhynchus 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: Completely segmented. Lateral processes touching or almost touching. Cephalon almost as long as remainder of body.
ABDOMEN: Short, inflated
EYES: 4-8 eyes. Ocular tubercle low, on posterior half.
PROBOSCIS: Broad base tapering to narrow tubular part, lips protruding.
SCAPES: 1-segmented

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Arthropoda
Subphylum:
Cheliceriformes
Class:
Pycnogonida
Order:
Pantopoda
Family:
Callipallenidae
Genus:
Stylopallene
Species:
cheilorhynchus

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 eight eyes. Eight segmented walking legs attached to the sides of the trunk. Short, inflated abdomen behind trunk. Leg span about 3 cm.

Biology

This common species is an active swimmer. They breed from November to December, sometimes extending through to March. Their scientific name refers to their protruding jaws. Males carry the eggs, holding them between body parts called ovigers that hang under the animal.

Habitat

On bryozoans, to depth of 90 m.

Reefs

Distribution guide

South-eastern Australia.

Species Group

Sea spiders

Depth

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

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

3 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, Stylopallene cheilorhynchus, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 27 Jul 2024, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/4092

Text: creative commons cc by licence