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Sea spider species discoveries in the Salish Sea
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2026-09-25 01:45 UTC → 2026-09-25 11:50 UTC ·
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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, and as well as specialized appendages used for grooming. The second species, Tanystylum kiixin, a species is named after an ancient Indigenous village near its discovery site. Unlike It is characterized by an hourglass-shaped abdomen and black eyes, but unlike the former, Tanystylum kiixin it possesses smaller limbs and lacks that prevent effective grooming appendages, grooming, often appearing 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.
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- 2026-09-25 11:50 UTC Sea spider species discoveries in the Salish Sea
- 2026-09-25 01:45 UTC Sea spider species discoveries in the Salish Sea
- 2026-09-24 20:23 UTC Sea spider species discoveries in the Salish Sea
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