Newly-discovered sea spider has three lips and red eyes

Scientists have discovered an unusual new species of sea spider lurking beneath the waves off the North American Pacific Coast.

The new creature has three lips and bright red eyes, as well as long, hairy-looking legs.

It also has flexible limbs that it can wrap around its legs, and use like combs to clean itself.

Experts say it's one of two new species of sea spiders discovered in the Salish Sea, an area of ocean between Canada and the US.

The discovery was made by scientists from the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Canada.

The team spent nearly a year carrying out dives in the Salish Sea, exploring places including Vancouver, Quadra Island, Bamfield and Victoria.

There they discovered two new species of sea spiders, the first to be found in the area in nearly 100 years.

The first species has been named Callipallene pilosuspedes, a name inspired by the Latin phrase for "hairy feet".

Its lower legs are covered in long, curved spines, giving them a bristly look.

The unusual creature also has red eyes, a short proboscis with claws that help it grab food, and a triangular mouth with three lips.

The second new species has been called Tanystylum kiixin.

It was named after an ancient Indigenous village site near where it was first discovered.

Unlike Callipallene pilosuspedes, it has smaller and less flexible limbs and experts say that it can't clean itself as well.

Lead author, Cormac Toler-Scott from the University of British Columbia, explained the importance of the research.

"In order to understand how marine invertebrates are being impacted by things like climate change and how we can better protect these key elements of the ecosystem, we have to be able to identify them."

He added that he believed that more species could be waiting to be found in the Salish Sea.

He said: "There's definitely more diversity out there that we haven't documented."