From the Ends of the Earth, to the Beginning of Time!
Arachnid Fossil
(Arachnida Araneae)
Arachnida Araneae
This is a well preserved spider similar to the orb-weavers seen today. It is mind boggling to think of all the factors that had to happen for this spider to be preserved at all. This 165 million year old example is simply astonishing and incredibly unusual. Notice the preserved color on the body. The Daohuguo Beds in Inner Mongolia have yielded a fauna much like that of the somewhat younger Yixian Formation in China. Spiders are highly-coveted by collectors so do not expect this one will last long