Nymphonidae
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Nymphonidae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| The pycnogonid Nymphon leptocheles grazes on a hydroid Tubularia indivisa. | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Pycnogonida |
| Order: | Pantopoda |
| Suborder: | Eupantopodida |
| Superfamily: | Nymphonoidea |
| Family: | Nymphonidae |
| Genera | |
|
Boreonymphon | |
| Diversity | |
| 7 genera, 250 species | |
Nymphonidae is a family of sea spiders which has representatives in all the oceans. This family contains some 250 species, most of which are found in the genus Nymphon. Nymphonid bodies are between 1 and 15 mm long, the extent between the points of the legs reaching 150 mm.[1] Most species are predators of hydroids. Like most sea spiders, species in this family have four pairs of legs in adults, except for Pentanymphon antarcticum, which has five pairs,[2][3] and Sexanymphon mirabilis, which has six pairs.[4][5]
