Family ENDEIDAE Norman, 1908
Introduction
Endeidae are a monogeneric family containing 17 species of Endeis, a cosmopolitan, generally shallow-water genus. Some species are found on drifting algae, some are associated with hydroids and others can be found on corals and other coral reef substrates (Arango 2001). Endeis mollis is a relatively common species found on the Great Barrier Reef (Arango, 2003). The morphology and habits of Endeis are very uniform and species diagnostic characters are not easily recognised.
Diagnosis
Body segmentation indistinct, chelifores and palps absent in adults, ovigers present in males only, 7-8 segmented. Tarsus short, arcuate, propodus curved with heel and sole spines. Legs long, slender, well developed auxiliaries. Proboscis long, carried in angle, usually a collar at the base of proboscis.
General References
Arango, C.P. 2001. Sea spiders (Pycnogonida) from the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, feed on fire corals and zoanthids. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 46: 656
Arango, C.P. 2003. Sea spiders from the Great Barrier Reef: New species, new records and ecological annotations. Journal of Natural History 37(22): 2723-2772
Norman, A.M. 1908. The Podosomata (=Pycnogonida) of the temperate Atlantic and Arctic Oceans. Transactions of the Linnean Society of London Zoology 11: 198-239