"Unraveling the Reproductive Secrets of Giant Sea Spiders in Antarctica"
After 140 years of mystery, researchers from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa have discovered the reproductive habits of giant sea spiders in Antarctica, revealing that the males attach thousands of eggs to the ocean's rocky bottom before tiny larvae hatch several months later. This unusual method of caring for offspring may provide insight into the evolutionary bridge leading to paternal care in other species. The discovery, published in the journal "Ecology," sheds light on the largely understudied species of sea spiders and could have wider implications for marine life and ocean ecosystems in Antarctica and around the world.