First fossil mesothele spider, from the Carboniferous of France

Abstract

First fossil mesothele spider, from the Carboniferous of France. Eothele montceauensis n. gen., n. sp., is described from two specimens from the Upper Carboniferous (Stephanian) of Montceau-Ies-Mines,France, as the first fossil and oldest known mesothele spider. In addition to the plesiomorphies characteristic of mesotheles, the holotype of Eothele preserves one mesothele synapomorphy (deep, narrow sternum) and at least one autapomorphy of the genus (biserially dentate chelicerae). The fossil is evidence that both mesotheles and opisthotheles were present in the Carboniferous period.