Sea spider species discoveries in the Salish Sea

Researchers from the University of British Columbia have identified two new species of sea spiders, or pycnogonids, in the Salish Sea. This discovery represents the first documentation of such species in the region in nearly a century. The findings, published in Organisms Diversity & Evolution, are based on specimens collected via scuba diving between September 2023 and August 2024 near Vancouver, Victoria, and Quadra Island.

The two species identified are Callipallene pilosuspedes, which features red eyes, a three-lipped mouth, and long, curved spines on its lower legs, as well as specialized appendages used for grooming. The second species, Tanystylum kiixin, is named after an ancient Indigenous village near its discovery site. It is characterized by an hourglass-shaped abdomen and black eyes, but unlike the former, it possesses smaller limbs that prevent effective grooming, often leaving the organism covered in debris and parasites.

Lead researcher Cormac Toler-Scott noted that these marine arthropods, which emerged approximately 500 million years ago, are often difficult to study because they are tiny and cryptic. He stated that identifying these organisms through targeted sampling is essential for understanding the impacts of climate change and human disturbances on the Salish Sea ecosystem.