sea spider

The reproduction of giant sea spiders in Antarctica has been largely unknown to researchers for more than 140 years, until now.

Most notable among them was Charles Wyville Thomson, a Scotsman who in the 1860s hauled up glass sponges, sea spiders, and other curiosities—thus debunking a theory that the deep ocean was lifeless.

An unprotected clutch would prove an easy snack for predators like starfish, polychaete worms and sea spiders, Dr. Cheng said.

The results showed which body parts evolved when, and revealed that the ancestors of modern sea spiders are much older and hardier than previously thought.

Ms. Shishido and her colleagues thought giant sea spiders wouldn’t be able to handle really warm waters as well as smaller ones, because their oxygen demands would use up all their supply.