The fen raft male may have died a grim death, but he successfully fertilized the female’s eggs nevertheless. So his life, although short, achieved its purpose. What’s more, sucking dry her lover’s body may well have nourished the female’s eggs, giving her spiderlings a better chance in life. The male’s sacrificial act benefits both the spiderlings’ mother and their (now deceased) father and could be considered an act of extreme paternal care.
