Red eyes, claws, and a mouth with three lips: Scientists discover two new species of sea spiders

Scientists have discovered two new species of sea spiders that had not been described in this region for nearly 100 years. One of them has red eyes, claws for capturing prey, and a triangular mouth with three lips covered in sensory hairs, LRT reports, citing the University of British Columbia, writes UNN.

Details

The new species were found in the Salish Sea between Canada and the United States. The specimens were collected during dives to depths of up to 18 meters from September 2023 to August 2024.

One of the new species was named Callipallene pilosuspedes. In addition to its red eyes and unusual mouth, its legs are covered with long, curved spines. Scientists even observed the spider using specialized limbs to "wash its face."

They can have up to 12 legs and breathe through their skin

Sea spiders appeared about 500 million years ago and are relatives of scorpions and horseshoe crabs. Some species have up to 12 legs, while their size ranges from less than 1 cm to more than 70 cm.

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Some small sea spiders live as parasites on larger animals and suck fluids from them. The spiders themselves breathe through their skin, while males carry the offspring, attaching the eggs to their bodies.

The second species discovered was named Tanystylum kiixin. Researchers repeatedly found tiny parasites on its body, prompting one of the scientists to describe the spider as a kind of "ecosystem within an ecosystem."

Both species have already been added to a global database. Researchers believe that other marine creatures still unknown to science may remain in the area.

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