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An orb-weaver spider (Araneae, Araneidae) from the early Eocene of India

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 November 2018

Raman Patel ,
Rajendra Singh Rana  and
Paul A. Selden Open the ORCID record for Paul A. Selden [Opens in a new window]
Raman Patel
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University, Srinagar, 246174 Uttarakhand, India〈ramanpatel2142@gmail.com〉, 〈rajendra.rana1@gmail.com〉
Rajendra Singh Rana
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University, Srinagar, 246174 Uttarakhand, India〈ramanpatel2142@gmail.com〉, 〈rajendra.rana1@gmail.com〉
Paul A. Selden
Affiliation:
Paleontological Institute and Department of Geology, University of Kansas, 1475 Jayhawk Boulevard, Lawrence, Kansas 66045, USA 〈selden@ku.edu〉 Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK
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Abstract

A new fossil spider is described from the early Eocene (Ypresian) Palana Formation (54 to 57 Ma) at the Gurha opencast lignite mine, near Bikaner, western Rajasthan, India. It is the first report of a nonamber fossil spider from India. The fossil is referred to the modern genus Nephila Leach, 1815, but with hesitation because, while its habitus is similar to that genus, it lacks the behavioral synapomorphies that distinguish the genus.

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Articles
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Journal of Paleontology , Volume 93 , Issue 1 , January 2019 , pp. 98 - 104
Copyright
Copyright © 2018, The Paleontological Society 

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