A male Antarctic sea spider bearing its eggs was found in a region of the sea once covered by a giant ice shelf. The sea spider, or pycnogonid, may prove to be a species new to science.

While the breakups of the ice shelves are widely considered dire signs of global warming, the events have provided scientists with a rare opportunity to survey undersea life that had long been hidden by polar ice.

"Until now, scientists have glimpsed life under Antarctica's ice shelves only through drill holes," said expedition leader Gutt. "We were in the unique position to sample wherever we wanted in a marine ecosystem considered one of the least disturbed by humankind anywhere on the planet."

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