One new species, Callipallene pilosuspedes, features red eyes, a triangular mouth with three sensory-haired lips, and legs covered in long curved spines. Sea spiders are ancient creatures appearing 500 million years ago, with some species having up to 12 legs and sizes ranging from under 1cm to over 70cm.
Scientists discover two bizarre new sea spider species in Salish Sea
an ecosystem within an ecosystem
Mark
Why does it matter that we found these two spiders now, after so long without new descriptions in the region?
Mimi
Because it tells us the Salish Sea is still full of life we haven't catalogued. A century is a long gap. These dives were systematic—they went down repeatedly over a full year. That kind of work surfaces things.
Luke
But we should be clear: these aren't new to the ocean. They're new to science in this particular place. The spiders were there all along.
Mimi
Exactly. And that's the point. We don't know what else is down there.
Mark
The description of one spider as an "ecosystem within an ecosystem"—what does that actually mean?
Mimi
It had parasites living on it. Tiny creatures feeding on or living off the spider's body. So one animal becomes a habitat for others.
Luke
That's a poetic way to say it, but it's also just... normal parasitism. The spider is a host. It happens everywhere in nature.
Mark
Fair. But why mention it at all if it's common?
Luke
Because it's what the researchers observed and found notable enough to quote. That's the honest answer.
Mimi
It does suggest these spiders are integrated into a complex web of relationships. They're not isolated creatures.
Mark
And the red eyes, the three-lipped mouth—are those features useful to the spider, or just... strange?
Mimi
The three lips are covered in sensory hairs. So they're detecting something—food, chemicals, movement in the water. The red eyes let it see. These aren't ornaments.
Luke
Though we don't actually know what the red color does. That's not in the reporting. We know it has them. We don't know if the color itself serves a function.
Le Pouls
- Two new sea spider species identified in Salish Sea, September 2023–August 2024
- Callipallene pilosuspedes: red eyes, three-lipped mouth with sensory hairs, spined legs
- Sea spiders evolved ~500 million years ago; some species reach 12 legs and 70+ cm length
- Tanystylum kiixin observed carrying numerous parasites on its body
One new species, Callipallene pilosuspedes, features red eyes, a triangular mouth with three sensory-haired lips, and legs covered in long curved spines. Sea spiders are ancient creatures appearing 500 million years ago, with some species having up to 12 legs and sizes ranging from under 1cm to over 70cm.
Researchers have identified two previously undescribed sea spider species in the Salish Sea, including one with distinctive red eyes, specialized claws, and a three-lipped mouth covered in sensory hairs.
In the waters between Canada and the United States, researchers have identified two sea spider species that science had not formally documented in this region for nearly a century. The discovery emerged from a methodical survey conducted between September 2023 and August 2024, when divers collected specimens from depths reaching 18 meters in the Salish Sea. One of these creatures—named Callipallene pilosuspedes—carries features so distinctive they read almost like invention: eyes the color of rust, specialized claws designed to seize prey, and a triangular mouth ringed with three lips that bristle with sensory hairs. Its legs, too, are armored with long, curved spines. Scientists working with the specimens observed the spider performing what amounted to grooming behavior, using specialized limbs to wash its face.
Sea spiders belong to an ancient lineage. They emerged roughly 500 million years ago as relatives of scorpions and horseshoe crabs, and they have persisted through vast stretches of evolutionary time with forms that seem to belong to another world. The group displays remarkable variation in size and anatomy. Some species measure less than a centimeter; others exceed 70 centimeters in length. Many carry up to 12 legs, though not all do. What unites them is an unusual respiratory strategy—they breathe directly through their skin rather than through dedicated organs. Among sea spiders, the males assume the burden of reproduction, carrying eggs attached to their bodies until the young are ready to disperse.
The second species discovered in the Salish Sea received the name Tanystylum kiixin. What struck researchers about this spider was the abundance of tiny parasites clinging to its body. One scientist described the creature as an "ecosystem within an ecosystem"—a single organism serving as host to an entire community of smaller life forms. This observation hints at the intricate dependencies that structure marine communities, where even the smallest predators become habitats for others.
Some sea spiders have evolved a parasitic existence themselves. These smaller species attach themselves to larger marine animals and draw fluids from their bodies, a strategy that has allowed them to occupy ecological niches that would otherwise remain empty. The discovery of Callipallene pilosuspedes and Tanystylum kiixin adds two more threads to the tapestry of Salish Sea life, but researchers emphasize that these finds represent only a fraction of what remains unknown. Both species have been entered into global databases, making them available to the broader scientific community. The researchers involved in the work believe that other marine creatures—perhaps many others—still inhabit these waters without formal description, waiting for the next diver to descend into the depths and bring them into the light of human knowledge.
Citations marquantes
One scientist described the spider as a kind of 'ecosystem within an ecosystem,' noting the abundance of tiny parasites living on its body.— University of British Columbia researchers studying Tanystylum kiixin
Envie de l'histoire complète ?
Lire l'original sur Українські Національні Новини (УНН) ↗