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New hairy-legged, three-lipped, red-eyed sea spider species discovered
CNN • • science
Key Points:
- Researchers in Canada discovered two new sea spider species, Callipallene pilosuspedes and Tanystylum kiixin, during scuba dives in the Salish Sea between September 2023 and August 2024.
- Callipallene pilosuspedes is characterized by long, curved spines on its lower legs, red eyes, and dexterous ovigers used for grooming, while Tanystylum kiixin has smaller, less dexterous egg-carrying limbs and is often covered with tiny parasites.
- Sea spiders, related to spiders, scorpions, and horseshoe crabs, have existed for around 500 million years, with nearly 1,400 species identified; they vary widely in size and habitat, from ocean floors to plants and animals.
- The study aimed to document shallow water sea spiders in the Salish Sea, where only 17 species had been reliably recorded despite rich marine biodiversity, to better understand species impacted by climate change and human disturbance.
- Researchers emphasize that documenting biodiversity in the rapidly developing and densely populated Salish Sea is crucial for guiding conservation efforts to mitigate threats from human activity.
