(ORDO NEWS) — Earlier it became known that anole lizards are able to breathe underwater thanks to an air bubble on their nose.
One of the scientists involved in this study has now documented a spider doing something similar, only this time the “bubble” covered its entire body.
Known by the scientific name Trechalea extensa, the large semi-aquatic spider lives in its natural habitat from Mexico to Panama. Previously, it was not known that he dived under water, and even more so he stayed there for a long time.
Binghamton University Associate Professor Lindsey Swirk and her colleagues watched as one of the land-dwelling spiders escaped people by going underwater… and staying there for more than 30 minutes.
All this time, his body was wrapped in a layer of air, which, as it turned out, was held in place by hydrophobic (water-repellent) hairs. It is not yet clear whether the spider actually breathed this air, but the film certainly kept the arachnid from drowning.
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