Researchers from the University of British Columbia (UBC) announced the discovery of two new sea‑spider species in the Salish Sea, the body of water that separates British Columbia, Canada, from Washington State. The specimens were collected on scuba dives ranging down to 59 feet between September 2023 and August 2024.
New species details
The first species, named Callipallene pilosuspedes, derives its name from the Latin words for “hairy” (pilosus) and “feet” (pedes). It is distinguished by long, curved spines that cover its lower legs, a slender trunk, red eyes, three lips at the opening of its triangular mouth, and claw‑like appendages. Notably, the animal possesses highly dexterous ovigers—leg‑like structures used for grooming. Under a microscope, scientists observed the ovigers wrapping around the legs and cleaning the creature with comb‑like spines.
The second species, Tanystylum kiixin, bears a smaller, less dexterous pair of egg‑carrying limbs, limiting its ability to groom itself. Its name references the sound of waves crashing near an ancient indigenous village where the spider was found. This species features an hourglass‑shaped abdomen, black eyes, knob‑like claws, and is frequently covered with tiny parasites.
Why the discovery matters
Sea spiders, or pycnogonids, are marine arthropods related to spiders, scorpions and horseshoe crabs. They have four trunk segments and typically four pairs of long legs, though some may have up to twelve. Sizes range from less than half an inch to over two feet. These animals crawl on ocean floors, cling to other marine life, and some can even tread water.
According to UBC, roughly 1,400 sea‑spider species have been identified worldwide, a lineage that dates back about 500 million years. Yet only 17 species had been reliably documented in the Salish Sea prior to this study, despite the area’s high marine biodiversity.
Conservation context
Lead author Cormac Toler‑Scott, a master’s student in zoology at UBC, explained that the research was motivated by concerns over climate change and human disturbance in the Salish Sea. “Marine invertebrates in the Salish Sea are particularly at‑risk, and I couldn’t find anything,” he said. The region’s shoreline is now densely populated and rapidly developing, making baseline biodiversity data essential for effective conservation planning.
Documenting these new species provides a clearer picture of the ecosystem’s health and helps identify where conservation efforts can have the greatest impact. The findings were published in the journal Organisms Diversity & Evolution on Wednesday.
Original reporting: 40/29 / KHBS (NW Arkansas) — read the source article.
