These are water mites, relatives of spiders in that they are also members of the arachnid class, and the resemblance is uncanny.

Especially with all of those eight legs waving around. But that detail aside, there is something about this water mite that looks more like a cartoon spider, something you might have doodled in a notebook.

For one, there's the eyes, those simple dots. Water mite species usually have two pairs which mainly act to detect light. It's much less intimidating to stare into the eyes of the water mite than into the eight eyes of a spider.

Another reason for the cartoon spideriness of some water mites is down to a defining aspect of their shape. Spiders have segmented bodies with an abdomen that is distinct from the cephalothorax that holds its head but water mites are not segmented. Instead, those different parts are fused together.

The final result is round and kind of adorable.