Pycnogonida |
Pantopoda |
Ammotheidae
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Reef-associated; depth range 0 - 910 m (Ref. 9). Subtropical
Indo-Pacific and Southwest Atlantic. Tropical to temperate.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm Max length : 0.1 cm TRKL male/unsexed; (Ref. 1666)
Trunk: suture lines complete, partial or lacking. 2 or more dorsomedian tubercles on trunk with or without similar tubercles on abdomen. Lateral processes: broad, more or less contiguous, with distal tubercles which differs in size and number. Proboscis: a slender ovoid as long as trunk. Chelifores: 2-segmented, scape longer than usual, with short dorsodistal tubercles or without. Chelae: tiny nubs, atrophied in adults. Palps: 8 segmented. Ovigers: 10 segmented, smaller in females, armed with 1-2 denticulate spines per distal 3 segments. Legs: slender, with or without low to tall tubercles, mostly dorsal if present. Male femur with 1 dorsodistal cement gland pore. Propodus: well curved, with 3-4 larger heel spines, 7-8 smaller sole spines, robust claw and stout auxiliaries of varying lengths (Ref. 9).
Among intertidal tufts of Cladophora prolifera; in coral reefs (Ref. 1666), until to a depth of at least 250 m (Ref. 92910). Inhabits hydrozoan trees, stones, dead corals and red algae (Ref. 92908).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Members of the class Pycnogonida are gonochoric and sexually dimorphic. During copulation, male usually suspends itself beneath the female. Fertilization occurs as the eggs leave the female's ovigers. Males brood the egg masses until they hatch. Life cycle: Eggs hatch into protonymphon larva then to adults.
Child, C.A. 1998 The marine fauna of New Zealand: Pycnogonida (sea spiders). NIWA Biodiversity Memoire 109. National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA). Washington, D.C. 20530, USA. 71 p. + Figure 2A-G, 3A-F, 4, 5. (Ref. 9)
IUCN Red List Status
(Ref. 130435: Version 2025-1)
CITES status (Ref. 108899)
Not Evaluated
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Human uses
| FishSource |
Tools
More information
Trophic EcologyFood items (preys)
Diet composition
Food consumption
Predators
Population dynamicsGrowth
Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
Length-frequencies
Mass conversion
Abundance
Life cycleReproductionMaturityFecunditySpawningEggsEgg developmentLarvae PhysiologyOxygen consumption
Human RelatedStamps, coins, misc.
Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature
(Ref.
115969): 4.8 - 21.1, mean 12.5 (based on 1241 cells).
Fishing Vulnerability
Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
Price category
Unknown.
