''Desis bobmarleyi'' is an underwater

spider Spiders (order (biology), order Araneae) are air-breathing arthropods that have eight limbs, chelicerae with fangs generally able to inject venom, and spinnerets that extrude spider silk, silk. They are the largest order of arachnids and ran ...

species found in the shores of north eastern

Queensland Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...

, Australia. It is known to build air chambers from

silk Silk is a natural fiber, natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be weaving, woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is most commonly produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoon (silk), c ...

. ''D. bobmarleyi'' is named in honour of the

Jamaica Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean Sea and the West Indies. At , it is the third-largest island—after Cuba and Hispaniola—of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean. Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, west of Hispaniola (the is ...

n singer-songwriter

Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981) was a Jamaican singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, he fused elements of reggae, ska and rocksteady and was renowned for his distinctive voca ...

. As an intertidal species the name was inspired by Marley's song " High Tide or Low Tide". In April 2018 the

World Register of Marine Species The World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) is a taxonomic database that aims to provide an authoritative and comprehensive catalogue and list of names of marine organisms. Content The content of the registry is edited and maintained by scien ...

named it one of the top 10 most remarkable species discovered in 2017. The spider is an araneomorph. ''D. bobmarleyi'' is a recent discovery, which is important to note when examining its data. Additionally, because it is part of the genus ''Desis'', it is considered a fully aquatic animal which is interesting because of its evolutionary history. The trnL2 and trnN genes, which are seen in marine spiders that are a part of the genus, must have experienced some kind of rearrangement that allowed for the development of its current traits. The long hairs on its legs and abdomen trap an air bubble which allows it to breathe while submerged.

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* Desidae Spiders described in 2017 Spiders of Australia {{Desidae-stub

See also

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