Urokodia! 518-million-year-old fossil shows beginning of spider's bite
A 518-million-year-old fossil is rewriting the history of spider evolution
Velocity
How fast coverage is spreading — measured hourly from article rate × source diversity. How this works →
The brief
A fossil of Urokodia, an ancient sea creature, has revealed the earliest known evidence of spider fangs. The discovery pushes back the origins of spider fangs by millions of years.
Coverage from ScienceAlert, Sci.News, IFLScience, The Conversation, Nature and Phys.org emphasizes the significance of this fossil in understanding the evolution of chelicerae and book gills of Chelicerata. The Conversation discusses the fear factor associated with spider fangs.
Watch for further analysis on how this discovery fits into the broader context of arthropod evolution. Coverage does not yet specify whether additional fossils of Urokodia have been found.
Synthesized by Archynetys from the headlines below under a strict no-invention contract. ✓ fact-checked: all claims supported by sources Updated 1d ago.
Quick answers
What is Urokodia?
Urokodia is an ancient sea creature whose fossil shows the earliest evidence of spider fangs.
How old is the Urokodia fossil?
The Urokodia fossil is 518 million years old.
What does this discovery tell us about spider evolution?
The discovery of Urokodia pushes back the origins of spider fangs by millions of years, providing new insights into the evolution of chelicerae and book gills of Chelicerata.
Coverage (6)
- Earliest Evidence of Spider Fangs Discovered in Half-Billion-Year-Old Fossils ScienceAlert · 2d ago
- Ancient Sea Creature Pushes Back Origins of Spider Fangs to 518 Million Years Ago Sci.News · 2d ago
- How Did Spiders Get Their Bite? 518-Million-Year-Old Funky Fossil Is Earliest Evidence Yet Of Spider Fangs IFLScience · 2d ago
- Spider fangs are one of their scariest features The Conversation · 2d ago
- Urokodia sheds light on the origin of chelicerae and book gills of Chelicerata Nature · 2d ago
- Urokodia! 518-million-year-old fossil shows beginning of spider's bite Phys.org · 2d ago
Topics
Related trends
Megalodon’s legendary life revealed by fossil rediscovery
A rediscovered Megalodon fossil is stirring excitement and debate among scientists.
First ever dinosaur fossil discovered on Antarctica identified as a titanosaur
The first dinosaur fossil ever found in Antarctica has been identified, after decades in storage.
Newly identified fossil sheds light on evolutionary history of saber-toothed cats
A newly identified fossil is challenging what we know about the evolution of saber-toothed cats.
Scientists stunned by signs of ancient life in a place no one expected
Scientists have discovered ancient microbial life in an unexpected deep-sea location.
'A weird result from an already weird hominin': Archaeologists discover all Homo naledi skeletons found in South African cave are female
Archaeologists have discovered a South African cave containing Homo naledi skeletons that are exclusively female.
New Feathered Dinosaur from China Had Peacock-Like Tail
A newly discovered feathered dinosaur from China is captivating scientists with its unique features and hunting behaviors.