Family CALLIPALLENIDAE Hilton, 1942

Austropallene sp.

© Copyright C. Arango. Queensland Museum.

A callipallenid

© Copyright C. Arango. Queensland Museum.

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Introduction

Monophyly of Callipallenidae was not recovered in morphological and total evidence analyses by Arango (2002) or Arango & Wheeler (2007).

The callipallenids are closely related to nymphonids, forming a strongly supported clade based on the presence of an oviger apophysis in males, and the development and type of larvae. However, the internal affinities of the Callipallenidae-Nymphonidae group remain to be tested, especially after inclusion of more callipallenid genera. Also, relationships of the Callipallenidae-Nymphonidae group with other pycnogonid lineages are not clear, as the support for the grouping with ammotheids is very low (Arango & Wheeler 2007).

Diagnosis

Chelifores present, scapes 1 or 2 segmented, chelae usually small, functional; palps either lacking, of 1-4 segments in males only, or only rudimentary knobs in both sexes; ovigers 6, 9 or 10-segmented, in both males and females, generally with compound spines. Legs long or short, with or without auxiliaries. Cement glands ventral.

General 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

Arango, C.P. 2002. Morphological phylogenetics of the sea spiders (Arthropoda: Pycnogonida). Organisms, Diversity and Evolution 2: 107-125

Hedgpeth, J.W. 1948. The Pycnogonida of the Western North Atlantic and the Caribbean. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 97(3216): 157-342, figs 4-53, charts 1-3

Hilton, W.A. 1942. Pantopoda (continued). II. Family Callipallenidae. Journal of Entomology and Zoology of Pomona College 34(2): 38-41