Sericosura


Sericosura is a genus of sea spiders in the family Ammotheidae. Species within this genus have been found in the eastern Pacific Ocean from California to Alaska living at depths from 106 to 3,690 meters below sea level often near methane seeps.
This genus of sea spiders is host to a diverse community of methane and methanol oxidizing bacteria on its exoskeleton in dense aggregations. Such bacteria found on their exoskeletons include members of the bacterial families Methylomonadaceae and Methylophagaceae. It is thought that theses sea spiders farm and feed on theses bacteria. This provides a unique interaction between an animal and chemically fueled bacteria.

Species

Sericosura bamberi Arango & Linse, 2015Sericosura cochleifovea Child, 1989Sericosura conta Bamber, 2009Sericosura curva Arango & Linse, 2015Sericosura cyrtoma Child & Segonzac, 1996Sericosura dentatus Wang, Lin, Bamber & Huang, 2013Sericosura dimorpha Arango & Linse, 2015Sericosura dissita Child, 2000Sericosura gemmaemonsis Wang, Lin, Bamber & Huang, 2013Sericosura hedgpethi Bamber, 2009Sericosura heteroscela Child & Segonzac, 1996Sericosura mitrata Sericosura venticola Child, 1987