Ancient Spider Fossil Unearthed in Germany: A Museum Curator's Discovery

Museum curator Jason Dunlop has identified the oldest spider fossil ever found in Germany, dating back 310 to 315 million years ago. The fossil, named Arthrolycosa wolterbeeki, was discovered in a quarry near Osnabrück and is nearly complete, providing valuable insights into ancient arachnids. The spider belonged to the order Araneae and was likely a burrow-dwelling species that lived in a forested area, spinning its web on the forest floor. This discovery expands our understanding of spiders in the Paleozoic era and highlights the exceptional preservation of the specimen.