And, while we can only imagine what this fossilized spider might have looked like in real life, we can look to some living “spiny spiders” for clues about its morphology and characteristics.

Here’s a preview: There are numerous species to research and learn about, ranging from the well-known black and yellow garden spider to the less well-known yellow-backed spiny spider.

Males are slender, while female white-backed garden spiders are thicker. The spiny-backed orb weaver is another well-known black and white spider. They are easy to spot and identify because of ...

and spiny, oval carapaces blend in with the rocks on the ocean floor. Those round shells and long legs give Japanese spider crabs an arachnid-like look, hence their common name. These animals also ...