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Last Updated: Wednesday June 14 2006 10:00 GMT

Fossilised spiders found in amber

Mesozygiella dunlopi was preserved in amber from Alava in Spain Image courtesy of David Penney
Two ancient orb-weaver spiders have been discovered trapped in amber from 115-121 million years ago.

The fossilised arachnids were found in Alava in Spain and are thought to be the oldest type of orb web-spinners known to scientists.

You find orb webs in gardens. They are very successful at catching prey because they use two different types of silk and are super-strong and flexible.

The two newly discovered spiders have been named Mesozygiella dunlopi.

Although these specimens are millions of years old, over the years they have evolved and there are now about 2,847 species of orb weavers in the world today.




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