Response #6: Spiderlike Creature With a Scorpion’s Tail Is Found Trapped in Amber

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Discovery of new species is always interesting, but what is even more fascinating is finding remains or fossils of species already long gone. These teams of researchers found a several specimens of a new species in amber markets of Myanmar. I've always found insects and other creatures being preserved in amber to be so fascinating, as amber when dry is a slow moving liquid, and to have any specimens at all is lucky for scientists today to learn about life before humans became to be.

This specific creature many would deem as a nightmare. Even in the article I had read, the author describes it a "stuff of prehistoric nightmares". It's described as a spider with a whiplike tail, similar to that of a scorpions. I personally see it very similar to the nightmare that is a vinegaroon, which is another thing many people would scream at. I personally find it extremely interesting. The tail of this creature, that was recently named as Chimerarachne yingi, researchers believe was used as a sensory organ.

This article says that C. Yingi is not a spider, but rather a relative and lived among ancient spiders. It provides insight to the possible evolutionary history of how species have evolved to the arachnids we know today. Learning about evolution is fascinating to me, and shows how complicated it is. Unlike how people believe evolution is a step by step, point A to point B process, evolution is complicated, branches off, and is how biodiversity came to be. I love learning about evolutionary processes, and seeing how ancient and prehistoric species have changed across thousands of generations and over the course of millions of years.