Remains of a spider that lived on Earth more than 300 million years ago found in Germany (photo)

A 315 million-year-old fossil spider has been discovered in Germany. The fossil, called Arthrolycosa wolterbeeki, is the first known "true spider" from the Paleozoic of Germany.

The study was published in the journal PalZ. It is noted that A. wolterbeeki was a small spider, about 10 millimeters in size. It had long legs and a long body, similar to a mesothecus.

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The fossil also shows preserved webs, which are a defining characteristic of real spiders.

The remains of A. wolterbeeki were found in the Pisberg quarry near Osnabrück, Lower Saxony, Germany. The layers in which the fossil was found are dated to 310-315 million years old. This makes A. wolterbeeki one of the oldest known fossil spiders.

The discovery of A. wolterbeeki is important because it provides new insights into the early evolution of spiders. The fossil shows that true spiders existed as early as the late Carboniferous period, which is much earlier than previously thought.

Earlier, a spider with a "hearing aid" was found in the United States.

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