Austrodecidae is a
family
Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...
of
sea spider
Sea spiders are marine arthropods of the class (biology), class Pycnogonida, hence they are also called pycnogonids (; named after ''Pycnogonum'', the type genus; with the suffix '). The class includes the only now-living order (biology), order P ...
s. Austrodecids tend to be small measuring only 1–2 mm, characterized by an annulated
proboscis
A proboscis () is an elongated appendage from the head of an animal, either a vertebrate or an invertebrate. In invertebrates, the term usually refers to tubular arthropod mouthparts, mouthparts used for feeding and sucking. In vertebrates, a pr ...
with vertical slit-like mouth opening. It is the most basal family of the order
Pantopoda, representing a lineage (Stiripasterida)
sister
A sister is a woman or a girl who shares parents or a parent with another individual; a female sibling. The male counterpart is a brother. Although the term typically refers to a familial relationship, it is sometimes used endearingly to ref ...
to all other pantopod families (Eupantopodida).
References
* PycnoBase
World list of Pycnogonida
External links
*
Pycnogonids
Chelicerate families
{{Chelicerata-stub