Sea Spiders.

I actually 'bumped into' a sea spider diving at Julian Rocks (in between the Cod Hole and the Cray Cave) a few weeks ago - im assuming it was a sea spider anyhow! I was swimming along minding my own business when it popped up in front of my mask!!
It was 'swimming' in the open water rather than resting on rocks, is this likely to have been what it was?

Contributed by Rowena added 2003-09-10

Replies 1-3 of 3

Ákos Lumnitzer added 2003-09-12

Hi there,
It's nigh impossible to tell what your critter is/was without an image. So next time, tak a digital camera or whatever you can get your hands on to snap a shot.

To answer Rhonda Kay's question in the gallery with her pretty sea spider shot, which is probably Evan's sea spider (Anoplodactylus evansi )

A good place to try and find those Evan's pycnogonids (sea spiders) would be on the bryozoan that looks like curled up pubic hair (sorry, but it does remind me of that) This bryozoan is reasonably common (I can't remember its scientific name off the top of my head - but you should be able to find it in Graham J. Edgar's fantastic book) in most NSW offshore diving habitats where there are sponges and other invertebrates growing on the reef. You would really have to carefully look through each little bryozoan animal colony and most likely many colonies before you will find these pycnogonids.

Giac Cavazzini added 2003-09-22

What size are these spiders?? Just so I know what to look for.....

Rowena added 2003-09-23

what i saw-if it was a spider-was about 2 inches long/wide. I dont think you could miss them really if they are in the water (rather than on a rock) - they look pretty unusual!

Replies 1-3 of 3

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