THE OLDEST LINYPHIID SPIDER, IN LOWER CRETACEOUS LEBANESE AMBER (ARANEAE, LINYPHIIDAE, LINYPHIINAE)

Abstract

Abstract A new fossil Linyphiidae: Linyphiinae is described from 125–135 Ma old (Upper Neocomian–basal Lower Aptian) Cretaceous amber from the Kdeirji/Hammana outcrop, Lebanon. This is the oldest known linyphiid as well as the oldest described amber spider. The first major radiation of the linyphiid subfamilies occurred in the early Cretaceous, if not before, and the presence of Linyphiidae in this period predicts the presence of Pimoidae then too. Current evidence, which suggests the higher araneoids did not radiate and diversify until after the end-Cretaceous mass extinction event may be an artefact of sample size.