Bob Marley - a new species of sea spider

A new species of sea spider has been named after pop culture and reggae music legend Bob Marley. The creature was discovered in Australia and inhabits the Great Barrier Reef region off the coast of Queensland.

Why the association with Jamaica’s most famous resident and reggae icon? Well, a previously unknown spider from the family desidae inhabits the intertidal zone, hence the reference to the song “High tide or low tide”(tide – means high tide in English). The official name of this creature is now desis bobmarleyi.

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The spider was discovered as much as nine years ago, on the morning of 11 January 2009, but only now have the results of a study been published that sheds some light on the new species, as well as two others discovered in Samoa and Western Australia.

The representatives of the newly described species have adapted to life in water. They hide in shells or corals, but can also weave a special bubble that allows them to exist under the surface of the water.

From observations made, females are larger and measure about 9 mm, while males reach a size of 6 mm. Spiders of the species desis bobmarleyi are characterised by a subdued colouration, dominated by red-brown.

The full range of this species has not yet been determined. So far it is known to occur on the Great Reef, in the north-eastern part of Australia.

Source: sci-news.com

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