Cormac Toler Scott, a MSc student in Leander lab (Dept of Zoology), studies the sea spider with the Zeiss Crossbeam 350 SEM. SEM images of the ventrum of the anterior of a juvenile sea spider (left), a single stalked ciliate protist nestled between the plates of the sea spider’s exoskeleton (centre), and the papillae of the lip of the sea spider mouth, coated in cells of bacteria or archaea of an unknown type (right).

Additional information:

Left image: The ventrum of the anterior of a juvenile sea spider (pycnogonid). A bulbous proboscis used for feeding is surrounded by a pair of sensory appendages (pedipalps) covered in bristles (setae). Below these, a pair of egg carrying legs (ovigers) are in development. Notice the two round, stalked ciliate protists living at the base of the right pedipalp.

Centre image: A single stalked ciliate protist nestled between the plates (sclerites) of the sea spider’s exoskeleton. These ciliates attach themselves to mobile arthropods and filter feed using a collar of cilia which are inverted in this image.

Right image: The papillae of the lip of the sea spider mouth, coated in cells of bacteria or archaea of an unknown type. These papillae likely have both a chemo and mechano- receptive role in sensing food.