''Pycnogonum'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

sea spider Sea spiders are marine arthropods of the class (biology), class Pycnogonida, hence they are also called pycnogonids (; named after ''Pycnogonum'', the type genus; with the suffix '). The class includes the only now-living order (biology), order P ...

s in the family

Pycnogonidae Pycnogonidae is a family of sea spiders. Characteristics Sea spiders of the family Pycnogonidae are recognisable by their stubby legs, rough-surfaced exoskeleton and the significant reduction of cephalic appendages. Chelifores (feeding pincers) ...

. It is the

type genus In biological taxonomy, the type genus (''genus typica'') is the genus which defines a biological family and the root of the family name. Zoological nomenclature According to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, "The name-bearin ...

of the family.

Etymology

The generic name literally means “dense knees”. ''Pycnogonum'' combines the prefix ' (from ‘dense’ in Greek) with the Greek word for "knee": ().

Characteristics

Members of the genus ''Pycnogonum'' have squarish bodies with a tough integument and a few hairs. The cephalon (the anterior end of the body which is fused with the first segment of the trunk) has a long smooth

proboscis A proboscis () is an elongated appendage from the head of an animal, either a vertebrate or an invertebrate. In invertebrates, the term usually refers to tubular arthropod mouthparts, mouthparts used for feeding and sucking. In vertebrates, a pr ...

and a low tubercle on which the eyes are set. There are no

chelicerae The chelicerae () are the arthropod mouthparts, mouthparts of the subphylum Chelicerata, an arthropod group that includes arachnids, horseshoe crabs, and sea spiders. Commonly referred to as "jaws", chelicerae may be shaped as either articulated ...

palps Pedipalps (commonly shortened to palps or palpi) are the secondary pair of forward appendages among chelicerates – a group of arthropods including spiders, scorpions, horseshoe crabs, and sea spiders. The pedipalps are lateral to the chelicera ...

and these sea spiders use their proboscis to suck juices from their

prey Predation is a biological interaction in which one organism, the predator, kills and eats another organism, its prey. It is one of a family of common feeding behaviours that includes parasitism and micropredation (which usually do not ki ...

. On the first segment of the trunk of males there are small ovigerous legs with nine segments. The

larva A larva (; : larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into their next life stage. Animals with indirect development such as insects, some arachnids, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase ...

e are carried around by the males on these appendages. The four pairs of ambulatory legs are short but strong, with well-developed terminal claws. The genital openings are on the second segment of the posterior pair of legs.Genus ''Pycnogonum
Marine Species Identification Portal. Retrieved 2011-11-22.

Species

The

World Register of Marine Species The World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) is a taxonomic database that aims to provide an authoritative and comprehensive catalogue and list of names of marine organisms. Content The content of the registry is edited and maintained by scien ...

lists the following

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

: *'' Pycnogonum africanum'' Calman, 1938 *'' Pycnogonum aleuticum'' Turpaeva, 1994 *'' Pycnogonum angulirostrum'' Stock, 1959 *''

Pycnogonum anovigerum ''Pycnogonum'' is a genus of sea spiders in the family Pycnogonidae. It is the type genus of the family. Etymology The generic name literally means “dense knees”. ''Pycnogonum'' combines the prefix ' (from ‘dense’ in Greek) with the ...

'' Clark, 1956 *'' Pycnogonum arbustum'' Stock, 1966 *'' Pycnogonum asiaticum'' Muller, 1992 *'' Pycnogonum aurilineatum'' Flynn, 1919 *''

Pycnogonum benokianum ''Pycnogonum'' is a genus of sea spiders in the family Pycnogonidae. It is the type genus of the family. Etymology The generic name literally means “dense knees”. ''Pycnogonum'' combines the prefix ' (from ‘dense’ in Greek) with the ...

'' Ohshima, 1935 *''

Pycnogonum buticulosum ''Pycnogonum'' is a genus of sea spiders in the family Pycnogonidae. It is the type genus of the family. Etymology The generic name literally means “dense knees”. ''Pycnogonum'' combines the prefix ' (from ‘dense’ in Greek) with the ...

'' Hedgpeth, 1949 *''

Pycnogonum calculum ''Pycnogonum'' is a genus of sea spiders in the family Pycnogonidae. It is the type genus of the family. Etymology The generic name literally means “dense knees”. ''Pycnogonum'' combines the prefix ' (from ‘dense’ in Greek) with the ...

'' Bamber, 1995 *''

Pycnogonum callosum ''Pycnogonum'' is a genus of sea spiders in the family Pycnogonidae. It is the type genus of the family. Etymology The generic name literally means “dense knees”. ''Pycnogonum'' combines the prefix ' (from ‘dense’ in Greek) with the ...

'' Losina-Losinsky, 1961 *''

Pycnogonum carinatum ''Pycnogonum'' is a genus of sea spiders in the family Pycnogonidae. It is the type genus of the family. Etymology The generic name literally means “dense knees”. ''Pycnogonum'' combines the prefix ' (from ‘dense’ in Greek) with the ...

'' Staples, 2002 *''

Pycnogonum cataphractum ''Pycnogonum'' is a genus of sea spiders in the family Pycnogonidae. It is the type genus of the family. Etymology The generic name literally means “dense knees”. ''Pycnogonum'' combines the prefix ' (from ‘dense’ in Greek) with the ...

'' Mobius, 1902 *''

Pycnogonum cessaci ''Pycnogonum'' is a genus of sea spiders in the family Pycnogonidae. It is the type genus of the family. Etymology The generic name literally means “dense knees”. ''Pycnogonum'' combines the prefix ' (from ‘dense’ in Greek) with the ...

'' Bouvier, 1911 *''

Pycnogonum clarki ''Pycnogonum'' is a genus of sea spiders in the family Pycnogonidae. It is the type genus of the family. Etymology The generic name literally means “dense knees”. ''Pycnogonum'' combines the prefix ' (from ‘dense’ in Greek) with the ...

'' Staples, 2002 *''

Pycnogonum coninsulum ''Pycnogonum'' is a genus of sea spiders in the family Pycnogonidae. It is the type genus of the family. Etymology The generic name literally means “dense knees”. ''Pycnogonum'' combines the prefix ' (from ‘dense’ in Greek) with the ...

'' Bamber, 2008 *''

Pycnogonum cranaobyrsa ''Pycnogonum'' is a genus of sea spiders in the family Pycnogonidae. It is the type genus of the family. Etymology The generic name literally means “dense knees”. ''Pycnogonum'' combines the prefix ' (from ‘dense’ in Greek) with the ...

'' Bamber, 2004 *''

Pycnogonum crassirostrum ''Pycnogonum'' is a genus of sea spiders in the family Pycnogonidae. It is the type genus of the family. Etymology The generic name (biology), generic name literally means “dense knees”. ''Pycnogonum'' combines the prefix ' (from ‘dense� ...

'' Sars, 1888 *'' Pycnogonum crosnieri'' Stock, 1991 *'' Pycnogonum daguilarensis'' Bamber, 1997 *'' Pycnogonum diceros'' Marcus, 1940 *'' Pycnogonum elephas'' Stock, 1966 *'' Pycnogonum eltanin'' Fry & Hedgpeth, 1969 *'' Pycnogonum forte'' Flynn, 1928 *'' Pycnogonum gaini'' Bouvier, 1910 *'' Pycnogonum gibberum'' Marcus & du Bois Reymond-M., 1963 *'' Pycnogonum gordonae'' Pushkin, 1984 *'' Pycnogonum grumus'' Arango, 2003 *'' Pycnogonum guyanae'' Stock, 1975 *'' Pycnogonum hancocki'' Schmitt, 1934 *'' Pycnogonum indicum'' Sundara Raj, 1930 *'' Pycnogonum kussakini'' Turpaeva, 2000 *'' Pycnogonum litorale'' (Strom, 1762) *'' Pycnogonum lobipes'' Stock, 1991 *'' Pycnogonum madagascariensis'' Bouvier, 1911 *'' Pycnogonum magellanicum'' Hoek, 1898 *'' Pycnogonum magnirostrum'' Mobius, 1902 *'' Pycnogonum microps'' Loman *''

Pycnogonum minutum ''Pycnogonum'' is a genus of sea spiders in the family Pycnogonidae. It is the type genus of the family. Etymology The generic name literally means “dense knees”. ''Pycnogonum'' combines the prefix ' (from ‘dense’ in Greek) with the G ...

'' Losina-Losinsky & Kopaneva, 1973 *'' Pycnogonum moniliferum'' Stock, 1991 *'' Pycnogonum moolenbeeki'' Stock, 1992 *'' Pycnogonum mucronatum'' Loman, 1908 *'' Pycnogonum musaicum'' Stock, 1994 *'' Pycnogonum nodulosum'' Dohrn, 1881 *'' Pycnogonum occa'' Loman, 1908 *'' Pycnogonum orientale'' (Dana, 1849) *'' Pycnogonum ornans'' Stock, 1992 *'' Pycnogonum panamum'' Hilton, 1942 *'' Pycnogonum paragaini'' Munilla, 1990 *'' Pycnogonum planum'' Stock, 1954 *'' Pycnogonum platylophum'' Loman, 1923 *'' Pycnogonum plumipes'' Stock, 1960 *'' Pycnogonum portus'' Barnard, 1946 *'' Pycnogonum pusillum'' Dohrn, 1881 *'' Pycnogonum pustulatum'' Stock, 1994 *'' Pycnogonum repentinum'' Turpaeva, 2003 *'' Pycnogonum repentium'' Turpaeva, 2003 *'' Pycnogonum reticulatum'' Hedgpeth, 1948 *'' Pycnogonum rickettsi'' Schmitt, 1934 *'' Pycnogonum saxulum'' Child, 1998 *'' Pycnogonum sivertseni'' Stock, 1955 *'' Pycnogonum spatium'' Takahashi, Dick & Mawatari, 2007 *'' Pycnogonum stearnsi'' Ives, 1883 *'' Pycnogonum stylidium'' Child, 1995 *'' Pycnogonum tenue'' Slater, 1879 *'' Pycnogonum tesselatum'' Stock, 1968 *'' Pycnogonum torresi'' Clark, 1963 *'' Pycnogonum tuberculatum'' Clark, 1963 *'' Pycnogonum tumulosum'' Loman, 1908 *'' Pycnogonum uedai'' Nakamura & Child, 1983 *'' Pycnogonum ungellatum'' Loman, 1911

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q3411182 Pycnogonid genera