sea spider

noun

: any of various small long-legged marine arthropods (class Pycnogonida) that superficially resemble spiders

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

Now, the eight-legged sea spider Pycnogonum litorale — think of a marine creature related to terrestrial arachnids like spiders, scorpions and mites — has shown that anthropods can recover entire parts of their body, too. —Sofia Quaglia, Discover Magazine, 6 Feb. 2023

In the study, scientists genetically sequenced all living sea spider families (spanning 89 species, all distantly related to land spiders) to create the first comprehensive family tree. —Raleigh Mcelvery, Science | AAAS, 15 Sep. 2020

On the Beagle’s second voyage to Tierra del Fuego, in 1832, Charles Darwin was amazed at the variety of life found in the sea off the relatively barren archipelago: snails, starfish, sea spiders, and fish abounded in rafts of seaweed. —Lucy Jakub, Harper's magazine, 2 Mar. 2020

Looking at the genomic sequencing of 53 species of arachnids, horseshoe crabs and sea spiders, Ballesteros' team found overwhelming data putting Xiphosura within the anarchid family. —David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, 28 Feb. 2019

So the researchers concentrated on numerous pores that dot the legs of sea spiders. —James Gorman, New York Times, 28 May 2018

Word History

First Known Use

1855, in the meaning defined above