this post was submitted on 18 Jun 2025
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First methane-powered sea spiders found crawling on the ocean floor (www.cnn.com)
submitted 2 months ago by cm0002@lemmy.world to c/biology@mander.xyz
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[–] scbasteve7@lemm.ee 14 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Inaccurate title. They don't consume methane at all. They 'farm' methane powered bacteria that deposits sugars and fats.

They aren't methane powered, the bacteria is. They are sugar and fat powered.

[–] neons@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 months ago

The Article makes it sound like lichen. A symbiosis so close and a host evolutionarily completely adapted to this symbiosis, I'm okay with drawing the line there and calling it metgan-consuming. We have to draw the line somewhere afterall :))

[–] untakenusername@sh.itjust.works 12 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

we should send them to saturns moon, Titan, where it rains methane like it rains water on earth

def worth it

spoilerbecause someones gonna be unhappy about jokes relating to space pollution or something, /s

[–] martin4598@lemm.ee 1 points 2 months ago

Solar system exploration doesn´t seem such a good idea, now...

[–] SatansMaggotyCumFart@lemmy.world 12 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I want a pet fart spider.

[–] thefartographer@lemm.ee 11 points 2 months ago (1 children)

As a Texan, I can introduce you to my barking spider.

[–] DetachablePianist@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago

name checks out

[–] Mouselemming@sh.itjust.works 11 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Why "First"?

Isn't "Methane-powered sea spiders discovered crawling on ocean floor" enough creepy for you?

[–] Zorsith@lemmy.blahaj.zone 6 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I mean, they're on the sea floor. They more than likely cant possibly survive depressurizing to get on land.

[–] Mouselemming@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 months ago

That's very reassuring. Wouldn't want them in one's own bed, they'd get fat on farts.

[–] Alexstarfire@lemmy.world 7 points 2 months ago

Hey look, a creepy spider that isn't from Australia.