Pycnogonum Brunnich, 1764

Takahashi, Yoshie, Dick, Matthew H. & Mawatari, Shunsuke F., 2007, Sea spiders (Arthropoda: Pycnogonida) from waters adjacent to the Nansei Islands of Japan, Journal of Natural History 41 (1 - 4), pp. 61-79 : 72-73

Genus Pycnogonum Brunnich, 1764

Diagnosis. Trunk and legs stout, with or without reticulation, usually lumpy overall; proboscis strong, usually barrel-shaped; abdomen short, horizontal; chelifores and palps completely lacking; ovigers in males only or lacking in both sexes, reduced in size, seven- to nine-segmented, without strigilis, with large terminal claw; legs very short, stout; tarsus, propodus, and sometimes tibiae often with short, bifurcate sole spines endally; main claw robust, well curved, generally without and sometimes with auxiliary claws. Cement glands unknown.

Remarks. The genus Pycnogonum differs from most other pycnogonids in the strong, lumpy body, short legs, and absence of both chelifores and palps. This genus contains at least 68 known species and has a worldwide distribution. Six species have previously been reported from Japan, including Pycnogonum benokianum from shallow waters in the Nansei Island region ( Ohshima 1935; Hedgpeth 1949; Child 1996).