JOURNAL ARTICLE

500-million-year-old fossil sheds light on origins of spiders and scorpions: Bristling, multilegged ocean swimmer shows early emergence of claws.

  • Published In: Sciencemag.org, 2026. P. N.PAG 1 of 3

  • Database: Applied Science & Technology Source Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Maule, Olivia 3 of 3

Abstract

The article focuses on the discovery and analysis of a 500-million-year-old marine arthropod fossil named Megachelicerax cousteaui, which provides the earliest clear evidence of claws in chelicerates, a group that includes spiders and scorpions. Found in the Utah desert in the late 1970s and recently described in Nature, the fossil reveals specialized pincerlike appendages on the creature’s head, indicating advanced prey manipulation abilities uncommon among Cambrian arthropods. This finding pushes back the timeline for the emergence of key anatomical features characteristic of modern chelicerates, shedding light on early marine life and arthropod evolution. [Extracted from the article]

Additional Information

  • Source:Sciencemag.org. 2026/04, pN.PAG
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Anatomy and Physiology
  • Publication Date:2026
  • Accession Number:192726638
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