A spider and other arachnids from the Devonian of New York, and reinterpretations of Devonian Araneae

Abstract

The oldest known spider, from the Devonian (Givelian) of Gilboa. New York, is Atlercopus fimbriunguis (Shear. Sclden and Rolfc). parts of which were originally described as a trigonotarbid. possibly of the genus Gelasinotarbus. Previous reports of Devonian spider fossils, from the Lower Emsian of Alken-an-der-Moscl. Germany, and the Pragian of Rhynie. Scotland, are shown to be erroneous identifications. Atlercopus is placed as sister-laxon to all living spiders, on the basis of characters of the spinneret and the arrangement of the patella-tibia joint of the walking legs. A cladogram of the relationships of all pulmonate arachnids is presented. A pulmonate arachnid from Gilboa. related to Arancae and Amblypygi. is described as Ecchosis pulchribolhrium Selden and Shear, gen. ct sp. nov., and additional arachnid material is described.