Hairy-Legged Sea Spiders Discovered in the Salish Sea

Published 31 minutes agoon September 25, 2026

Two bizarre new species of sea spider have been discovered in the Salish Sea, including one sporting red eyes and distinctly hairy legs.

Researchers from the University of British Columbia (UBC) have described two new species of sea spider – the first to be formally identified from the region in almost a century.

The tiny marine arthropods were collected during dives to depths of 18 metres around Vancouver, Victoria, Quadra Island and Bamfield between September 2023 and August 2024.

One of the new species, Callipallene pilosuspedes, takes its name from the long, curved spines covering its lower legs – essentially translating as “hairy feet”. It also has striking red eyes and a three-lipped mouth surrounded by sensory tendrils.

Despite their name, sea spiders are not true spiders, although they are related to spiders, scorpions and horseshoe crabs. Some shallow-water species live as parasites on larger marine organisms, using a specialised proboscis to feed on their hosts.

The second newly described species, Tanystylum kiixin, revealed another unusual relationship. Researchers frequently found tiny protist parasites living on the sea spiders themselves – creating what lead researcher Cormac Toler-Scott described as an “ecosystem within an ecosystem within an ecosystem”.

Sea spiders have been around for hundreds of millions of years, yet many species remain poorly documented. The UBC team combined detailed imaging with DNA analysis, generating genetic information for several Salish Sea species that had never previously been sequenced.

Researchers believe there are likely to be more species in the region still waiting to be discovered.

The research was published in Organisms Diversity & Evolution.

Image credit: Cormac Toler-Scott / University of British Columbia

Source: University of British Columbia

Jane Morgan

Jane’s lifelong love for the ocean began in childhood and has shaped the course of her life and career. After learning to dive in 1991, she spent much of the '90s teaching scuba and working on marine conservation projects in the Philippines and Borneo. A chance encounter with a film camera on a dive trip to Egypt in 2001 ignited a passion for underwater photography, inspiring her to leave the corporate world and pursue a full-time career in dive travel and photojournalism. Since then, her work has been published in a wide range of national and international magazines, books, and newspapers. She has filmed underwater for the BBC, judged major photography competitions, and received numerous accolades—including the prestigious Plongeur d'Or at the Festival Mondial de l'Image Sous-Marine. In 2009, Jane became a freelance photojournalist, and in 2011 completed a BA (Hons) in Marine and Natural History Photography at Falmouth University, where she now works as a Dive Safety Officer. Based in Cornwall, Jane dives locally year-round and is passionate about showcasing the rich marine life found in UK waters. As a proud ambassador for Dynamic Nord and Fathoms Free, she actively supports marine conservation initiatives and advocates for ocean protection through her storytelling. In her newest role with Scubaverse, Jane combines her love of travel, diving, and storytelling—sharing experiences from around the world to inspire others to explore, protect, and connect with the underwater world.

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