Remarkable Spider Found Preserved In Amber For 99 Million Years

Ryan Zschomler

Sep 24

3 min read

Updated: 2 days ago

Insect Educator | Amber Bugs

An extraordinary arachnid fossil from Myanmar has recently been discovered!

99 million years ago in a tropical rainforest, a large spider molted its exoskeleton and dropped it in sticky tree sap, completely encasing it. Sealed away from oxygen and bacteria, this sap hardened into amber, preserving an animal that would otherwise have vanished forever. A true miracle of chance!

spider in amber — ***Remarkable mygalomorph fossil*** - 99 Million years old. Found in Myanmar in 2026.

Very rarely does a specimen survive with this level of detail. Its body can be read like a priceless book, telling us volumes about what kind of life it lived long before humans walked the earth.

The specimen as a whole

This piece measures 4.3cm x 2.2cm x 1cm. A large portion of the spider is preserved. The inclusion spans nearly the entire piece. It is a very large arachnid inclusion by amber standards. The amber is in a the shape of a slab, with polished faces and raw sides.

This specimen is almost certainly a mygalomorph, the ancient lineage that includes today’s tarantulas. Many body parts are preserved in amazing detail. We will examine them in this post.

Fangs

The powerful fangs that once injected venom, reducing prey to a liquid meal are clearly visible.

spider fangs in amber — ***The blade of the fang -*** if you look closely, you can see the bladed edge of the fang.

Chelicerae

The entire jaw-like mouthparts of this arachnid, called chelicerae, are menacingly suspended.

Cheliceral Teeth

Some spiders have something akin to teeth, called cheliceral teeth. These are covered in sensory hairs on this specimen.

spider teeth in amber — ***Cheliceral teeth*** - These act like a vice to squeeze liquid out of their food.

Pedipalps

Finger-like pedipalps extend from the mouth, used to drag prey into the mouth of the spider.

Palpal Claw

At the tip of the pedipalp is a palpal claw, claw lined with fine tooth-like denticles. These structures help the spider grip and manipulate prey.

spider pedipalp in amber — ***Palpal claw*** - emitting from the tip of the spider's pedipalp. These are like fingertips for spiders.

Fine hairs covering the body

We see fine hairs covering the body and legs. These are called trichobothria, and they detect the faintest vibrations in air or soil.

spider molt in amber — ***Sensory hairs called trichobothria -*** connected to bowl shaped sockets called bothrium are preserved in excellent detail.

Feet

The hooked tarsal claws, perfect for gripping surfaces like bark or silk, remain sharp.

Imagine this arachnid living among enormous dinosaurs dominating the landscape, in constant danger of being crushed under their lumbering footsteps. Who would have thought it would be the lowly spider to survive the test of time?! The humble spider's descendants still thrive in virtually every terrestrial habitat on the planet today.

This single piece of amber is more than a beautiful curiosity. It is a direct, exquisitely detailed message from a vanished Cretaceous world. Truly a grand contribution to our fossil record!