The evolution of spiders has been going on for at least 400 million years, since the first true spiders (thin-waisted arachnids) evolved from crab-like chelicerate ancestors. Today, there are 42,473 described spider species within the diverse phylum of arthropods.
Major developments in spider evolution include the development of spinnerets and silk secretion.
Read more about Evolution Of Spiders: Early Spider-like Arachnids, Emergence of True Spiders
Famous quotes containing the words evolution of, evolution and/or spiders:
“What we think of as our sensitivity is only the higher evolution of terror in a poor dumb beast. We suffer for nothing. Our own death wish is our only real tragedy.”
—Mario Puzo (b. 1920)
“Like Freud, Jung believes that the human mind contains archaic remnants, residues of the long history and evolution of mankind. In the unconscious, primordial “universally human images” lie dormant. Those primordial images are the most ancient, universal and “deep” thoughts of mankind. Since they embody feelings as much as thought, they are properly “thought feelings.” Where Freud postulates a mass psyche, Jung postulates a collective psyche.”
—Patrick Mullahy (b. 1912)
“A pretty little collection of weaknesses and a terror of spiders are our indispensable stock-in-trade with the men.”
—Colette [Sidonie Gabrielle Colette] (1873–1954)