The Largest Prehistoric Spider On Record Is Now Its Own Unique Species

A few years back scientists discovered a fossilized spider that is now extinct, and at the time of its discovery, researchers believed that this prehistoric spider was the largest spider to have ever crawled the earth. However, a new fossil has recently been found that is even larger.

The two fossils are similar in appearance, and they may be members of the same unknown species. The first, and smaller fossilized spider was believed to be a member of the nephila species of spider, but the recently discovered spider fossil is so large that researchers are now convinced that it was a member of a species that no longer exists today. In fact, this spider is the only known member of this newly labeled genus knows as Mongolarachne.

According to professor Paul Seldin of the Kansas University, it is rare to find fossilized spiders as old as the giant spider that was recently discovered. This is due the soft bodies that both extinct and modern spiders possess. This spider fossil is unique in that it was perfectly preserved by becoming encased within volcanic matter at the bottom of a lake.

The first fossilized spider belonging to this newly named genus was, as was already mentioned, first believed to belong to the Nephila genus. The modern nephila genus of spider is more commonly known as golden-orb weavers. Golden-orb weavers are considered the largest web-weaving spiders that exist today. The second fossil looked similar to golden-orb weavers, but the locations of its reproductive organs are making researchers rethink the genus that these mysterious fossilized spiders belong. Now researchers are convinced that these two fossilized specimens are more closely related to modern day ogre-faced spiders. The two fossilized spider specimens were found in the same fossil bed, and it is quite likely that they are related to each other and have no living members of the same genus, but this is not conclusive.

Have you ever found a fossilized spider or insect of any sort? If you have, what species of spider was it?