There's a new sea spider in town
14 hours ago
- Researchers from the University of British Columbia discovered seven sea spiders in the Salish Sea, including two new species, marking the first such discovery in a century.
- Sea spiders are ancient arachnids related to scorpions and spiders, with traits like up to 12 legs, skin breathing, and egg-bearing legs, adapted over 500 million years.
- The new species Callipallene pilosuspedes, named 'hairy feet,' has a triangular mouth with sensory hairs resembling the Sarlacc from Star Wars.
- Another new species, Tanystylum kiixin, named after a local indigenous village, has stiff legs that accumulate debris, hosting single-celled parasites on its body.
- Sea spiders in shallow waters often act as parasites, using a proboscis to suck juices from hosts, and the study classified specimens using microscopy and DNA analysis.