A strange yellow spider-like creature with four nearly black eyes and large bulbous claws has been pulled from the deep ocean off the coast of Antarctica.
An animal I have never seen before is a sea spider. A distant relative of horseshoe crabs and arachnids, it lives on the ocean floor, eats through a straw-like proboscis instead of a mouth, and breathes through its feet. Scientists have discovered more than 1,000. A type of sea spider found all over the world.
The newly discovered seeds are Austropalen Haraniki, It was pulled up from about 1,870 feet (570 meters) below the surface of the Ross Sea. In addition to all the other weird things about sea spiders, this new species has large claws that look like “boxing gloves,” which it likely uses to grab soft food like sea anemones and earthworms. said the study’s co-authors. Andrew Mahona biologist at Central Michigan University told Live Science. The study was published in the journal Nov. 28. Zookie.
A. HaranichiIts body is about 1 centimeter long, but its legs can stretch nearly 3 centimeters. This gives this species the typical lanky appearance of many sea spiders, although some species can grow even larger, reaching full body length. almost 2 feet Width (60cm).
Related: Scientists discover that sea spiders can regenerate their anuses
What’s more, this new species is likely just a drop in the bucket when it comes to the undiscovered wildlife, or ecosystem, that lives on the bottom of the Southern Ocean. home of all things From brightly colored starfish and otherworldly marine insects to sponges and cold-water corals.
“Antarctic benthic environments are an area of science that we need to continue to explore,” Mahon said. “There’s a lot of stuff underground, and I discover something new every time I go.”
To learn more about this environment, researchers drop nets deep underwater and pick up anything that may be hanging on the bottom. After raising the net, we sort everything we catch and save each specimen before sending it back to the lab for further analysis.
However, because there are so many potentially new species to describe, it may take time to examine all the samples. A. Haranichi It was first raised by the US research vessel Nathaniel B. Palmer in 2013. Recently, Mahon and his colleagues Jessica Zempfennig Researchers removed it from storage and scientifically identified it as a new species by analyzing its body shape and genetics.
But researchers may be running out of time to study Antarctica’s ocean floor. As the climate continues to change, rising ocean temperatures could threaten the future of some species that live in this isolated and unique ecosystem, Mahon said. He said one reason researchers continue to study the Antarctic ocean floor is to understand and protect this biodiversity before it’s too late.
