Living at the Bottom of the Ocean of Air

The Argyroneta aquatica is a spider that lives mostly underwater. Contrary to most aquatic animals, it is not equipped with gills. Its breathing apparatus comes from terrestrial life forms. To survive underwater, the Argyroneta aquatica dwells in a diving bell embracing its abdomen and most of its legs. The bead is secured with a few threads of silk in order to resist contact with plants or predators. Over time, the oxygen content of the diving bell eventually becomes depleted, at which point the spider returns to the surface to collect more air to replenish its underwater home. Rather than separating the aqueous from the atmospheric, this floating droplet of air is a permeable membrane across which the junction of those two worlds occurs. It allows the spider to breathe underwater. This unique behaviour tackles the capacity of certain species to transform their way of life to adapt to new environments. The underwater spider is an invitation for biospeculation. It questions the possible future of our environment. Will humans someday be able to live in and with the air?