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Sea spiders may be relatively large in size and found in abundance in Earth’s oceans, but little is known about these mysterious marine creatures.
Understanding the reproductive habits of Antarctic giant sea spiders, for example, has eluded marine biologists since the species was discovered. it was discovered more than 140 years ago. To solve the mystery, researchers from the University of Hawaii at Mānoa traveled to the remote continent to study and observe these strange invertebrates, which are named for their resemblance to their eight-legged terrestrial counterparts.
The researchers’ findings, published Feb. 11 in the journal Ecology, “could have broader implications for marine life and ocean ecosystems in Antarctica and around the world,” according to a Press release of the University.
While other sea spiders around the world carry their young before they hatch, those in Antarctica have a more unusual method, the lead researcher said. Amy Moran, an ecologist at the University of Hawai’i. Instead, one parent lays thousands of eggs on the rocky ocean floor before tiny larvae hatch several months later.
“The males take care of the young, but they do it differently and in a much simpler way than other sea spiders,” Moran said in a video shared on the university website. “It may provide a kind of insight into the evolutionary bridge that leads to parents caring for their children.”
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What are sea spiders?
They often have eight legs and resemble arachnids in appearance, but sea spiders are not real spiders.
Sea spiders, formally called pycnogonids, are widespread in many marine habitats, but are most common in polar regions. Marine biologists know about 1,500 species of sea spiders: some are so small that they can be difficult to see with the naked eye, and others can grow up to 20 inches. according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
This adaptation, known as “polar gigantism,” helps them cope with extreme cold.
But despite the prevalence of sea spiders, many researchers say the species is understudied.
“In most sea spiders, the male parent cares for the young by holding them while they develop,” Moran said in a statement. “The strange thing is that despite descriptions and research dating back more than 140 years, no one had ever seen the giant Antarctic sea spiders incubating their young or knew anything about their development.”
The eggs attached to the rocky bottom are camouflaged among algae
Moran, whose lab has studied polar gigantism for more than a decade, led an October 2021 field research expedition to Antarctica with doctoral students Aaron Toh and Graham Lobert to study the continent’s sea spider population.
Diving under the ice, researchers hand-collected groups of giant sea spiders that appeared to be mating and transported them to tanks for observation.
The team then divided the organisms into two different mating groups that produced thousands of tiny eggs. But instead of carrying the babies until they hatched, as most sea spider species do, the father spent two days securing the eggs to the rocky bottom.
The eggs became covered in microscopic algae within weeks, providing camouflage that the researchers theorized is what made the process unusual to observe before.
“The organisms and ecosystems that are down there are very difficult to study,” Lobert said in the university video. “To be able to find something that has eluded researchers for more than 140 years is truly amazing.”
Eric Lagatta covers the latest news and trends for USA TODAY. Contact him at elagatta@gannett.com