Fossil hunters in Korea discovered long-dead spiders preserved in rock. And to the delight of scientists,????? ?????? ????? ????? ????? the arachnids' eyes are still reflective -- some 110 million years after the creatures died.
It's rare for insects and arachnids -- which are far more brittle than shelled sea creatures -- to become fossilized in rocks. But for reasons still unknown, a couple of these spiders did fossilize, and the unique shape of their eye structures continue to reflect light -- even in their petrified form.
The reflective eye structure is called a tapetum, and it's often used by creatures who hunt in the dark.
"So, night-hunting predators tend to use this different kind of eye," Paul Selden, director of the Paleontological Institute at Kansas University's Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum, said in a statement. "This was the first time a tapetum had been in found a fossil. This tapetum was canoe-shaped — it looks a bit like a Canadian canoe."
Today's wolf spiders employ the same eye structures to hunt, Selden added.
A mystery still remains, however: How did the spiders become fossilized? Their petrified bodies were found in a layer of rock filled with fish and other sea critters -- but spiders don't dwell in water.
SEE ALSO: Opportunity rover's last picture is as grim as it is dark“It has to be a very special situation where they were washed into a body of water," Selden said. "Normally, they’d float. But here, they sunk, and that kept them away from decaying bacteria — it may have been a low-oxygen condition."
Selden and his Korean colleagues -- who actually discovered the ancient spiders -- now get to name the curious fossils. They were only found because Korean land is often excavated, so scientists and the fossil-curious dig in to see what ancient novelties are hidden in Earth's crust.
"So, they carve away the hillsides to make a flat area, and there are temporary excavations while they’re cutting away and building a factory or whatever — that’s where they found these fossils," said Selden.
The mystery of the guy with 2 phones behind selfie kid at the Super BowlInstagram's Superzoom feature is the perfect meme for your precious petsAre tracksuits cool now or is Armie Hammer trolling us?Are tracksuits cool now or is Armie Hammer trolling us?Ranking every sport in the Winter Olympics, even the ridiculous onesTaylor Swift expertly trolls Ed Sheeran about his height in Instagram videoFlu season rages on, beating 2009 swine flu epidemic as deaths climbJohn Boyega just tweeted the sweetest story about Daniel KaluuyaTaylor Swift expertly trolls Ed Sheeran about his height in Instagram videoWatch Trump awkwardly attempt to hold Melania's hand Best Prime Day fitness tracker deals: Garmin, Apple Watch, and more The Rag Dolls of Pompeii Nearly extinct white rhino might live on, thanks to IVF embryos Fresh Hell Patriots vs. Dolphins 2024 livestream: How to watch NFL for free Best keyboard deals ahead of October Prime Day 2024 A former park ranger's favorite gifts for your outdoorsy friend Giants vs. Seahawks 2024 livestream: How to watch NFL for free Best early Prime Day Apple Watch deals: Series 10, 9, SE, and more Who Profits?
0.2163s , 10014.2109375 kb
Copyright © 2025 Powered by 【????? ?????? ????? ????? ?????】This spider's eyes glow, even though it died 110 million years ago,Global Hot Topic Analysis