Huntsman Spider in Baltic Amber Imaged Using Phase Contrast X-Ray Tomography

Computed tomography (CT) methods were applied to a problematic fossil spider (Arachnida: Araneae) from the historical Berendt collection of Eocene (ca. 44--49 Ma) Baltic amber. Original specimens of Ocypete crassipes Koch & Berendt, 1854 are in dark, oxidised amber and the published descriptions lack detail. Despite this, they were subsequently assigned to the living Pantropical genus Heteropoda Latreille, 1804; and are ostensibly the oldest records of huntsman spiders (Sparassidae) in general. Given their large size, and presumptive ability to free themselves more easily from resin, it would be surprising to find a sparassid in amber and traditional (optical) methods of study would likely have left O. crassipes as an equivocal record -- probably a nomen dubium. However phase contrast enhanced X-ray CT revealed exquisite morphological detail and thus 'saved' this historical name by revealing characters which confirm that it's a bone fide member both of Sparassidae and the subfamily Eusparassinae. We demonstrate here that CT studies facilitate taxonomic equivalence even between recent spiders and unpromising fossils described in older monographs. In our case, fine structural details such as eye arrangement, cheliceral dentition, and leg characters like a trilobaite membrane, spination and claws, allow a precise referral of this fossil to an extant genus as Eusparassus crassipes.

Video created by Andrew McNeil at the Henry Moseley X-Ray Imaging Facility.

• Category

  Science & Technology

[Lance Watt]

not so. Most scienists, including Darwin do not think there is a problem with evolutionary theory. There has not been one piece of evidence discrediting evolution.

So it's people that make false claims that are usually called a dumbass :)

[CO2Junkie]

- I am educated in evolutionary biology. I am certainly no Ernst Mayr, Richard Dawkins, Stephen Gould, JBS Haldane, Mary Leakey or PZ Myers. But let me help u further... You r using the word 'theory' as in 'hypothesis'. In the context of the 'Theory of Evolution' it is a model meant to interpolate & connect & explain several data points... This nomenclature is only to separate an idea from a measurement. As it stands evolution is the BEST explanation EVER & is considered FACT.

[Lance Watt]

Its pretty direct... an established theory... it hasn't been disproved - therefore there are no problems (which I was what I was replying to)... I guess it could also mean no one has tried to refute it before or something so I see your point I think.

[Bastion Monk]

"there has not been one piece of evidence discrediting evolution" this is so vague it could mean a lot of things

[alternatypje]

amazing... so many years and not much diffrent from different from other big spiders of its kind/size. Seems their survival design was almost perfect.

[oinonio]

Great Video. As for some of the comments, though… Let's just say there should be a "Flag for Willing Ignorance" button

[CO2Junkie]

- Everyone has bias & agenda... this is why peer review is important. Read up on polyploidy in plants & nylonase in flavobacterium. These are easy, observable, quantifiable events that verify evolution. In the case of polyploidy in plants these are often speciation events. So evolution has been proven to cause speciation (biological species concept). I'm not aware of your hypotheses on how 'we come to life' so how can I shoot it down? I don't know what you are going on about.

[AngelusDlion]

It's interesting, I've found that those that aren't entirely convinced of their points are usually the ones that lash out verbally first, no?

[FadedSTEELERSfan]

damn man for someone who is educated in evolutionary biology it sure shows the bias you have towards not accepting my thoughts that evolution isn't our primary way of coming to life. i see it more as our planet having abundance of nitrogen , carbon , and then creating organisms that could help regulate and then this set up plants and trees which photosynthesized carbon into oxygen which allowed for multicellular organisms like us to occur quick breakdown

[antdude]

How about an ant? :P

[JeanetteTherese]

Monkeys are still here because we didn't evolve from them. We both come from a common ancestor. Read a science book someday.

[CO2Junkie]

- I actually agree with that. Gimme a beer as well.