A fossil of a giant trapdoor spider has been discovered in Australia

If you’re arachnophobic, this information might give you a cold sweat. Millions of years ago, Australia was a paradise for spiders. A limited number of species propagated easily. Recently, scientists published a study in which they explained their findings Fossil of a giant “trap door” spider.

The said fossil was very well preserved by the time researchers found it Scientific alert It announced it based on information published on September 15 in the journal Science Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.

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This spider was so big that it impressed the experts. According to them, she must have spent her life hunting in what was once a thriving rainforest.

A better understanding of the past

The discovery, in New South Wales – at a fossil-rich research site called McGrath’s Flat – is not unusual. In fact, this is only the fourth spider fossil to be found in Australia. It is also the world’s first fossil attributed to a large family of spiders BarycelidaeCommonly called brush-footed trapdoor spiders.

This special type of spider that lived during the Miocene epoch (11 to 16 million years ago) is officially named. Megamonodontium mccluskyi.

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On the results of the study, paleontologist Matthew McGarry, who works at the University of New South Wales, shared his feelings. “Only four spider fossils have been found [en Australie] This makes it difficult to understand their evolutionHe described. That’s why this discovery is so important to us.”

Such a discovery makes it possible for scientists to reveal “New information on the extinction of spiders, and above all A Gap in Understanding the Past”, And the expert underlined.

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In the same context, the paleontologist pointed out “Progeny [encore en vie] Close to this fossil now lives in the rainforest Singapore [et] Inside Papua New Guinea“. An observation that prompts scientists to confirm that the group once thrived in similar environments on mainland Australia, but disappeared as the country became more arid.

Similar findings

A few months ago, we reported on the discovery of a new species of trapdoor spider in eastern Australia. As reported Guardian On March 21, researchers made the discovery while participating in a project led by the Queensland Museum.

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In a special issue of the Journal of Arachnology, we learned that this spider (which can measure up to five centimeters and poses no mortal danger to humans) was named. Eublos Dignitas.

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