A team of researchers has identified a new species of harvestman, a type of arachnid, preserved in 35-million-year-old amber. This discovery shows that extinct arachnid groups once lived in Europe. It also expands the known variety of species found in amber from this region.
The research team, led by SNSB paleontologist Christian Bartel, found the fossil in amber from Ukraine and the Baltic region. Their findings were published in the journal Acta Palaeontologica Polonica.
Ancient Amber Reveals Hidden Life
The fossil was incredibly well-preserved. It was trapped in tree resin millions of years ago, which kept its tiny body details intact. Scientists identified it as a new species within the Ortholasmatinae subfamily.
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Start Your News DetoxMembers of this group are known for their unique look. They have heavily decorated bodies and complex, sometimes lattice-like, structures around their heads. Before this find, no fossils of Ortholasmatinae had ever been found.
The new species is named Balticolasma wunderlichi. Dr. Christian Bartel from the Bavarian State Collections of Natural History (SNSB) and Prof. Plamen Mitov from Sofia University, Bulgaria, led the team that named it.
The fossil shares key features with its living relatives, like a complex surface texture and a noticeable eye mound. To study its 3D structure, the team used advanced X-ray scans. These scans, done at the Helmholtz Center Hereon, showed fine ridges on its upper body and complex mouthparts.
Reshaping Geographic History
Dr. Christian Bartel, the study's lead author, was surprised by the discovery. He noted that Ortholasmatine harvestmen no longer live in Europe today. Their relatives are currently found only in East Asia, North America, and Central America.
This suggests that 35 million years ago, during the Eocene epoch, these harvestmen were spread much wider across the Northern Hemisphere.
Dr. Jason Dunlop from the Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin, a co-author, added that Baltic amber is famous for its many fossils. It often reveals species that are no longer found in Europe. The fact that this new species was also found in Ukraine shows that the harvestman populations in both regions were likely similar.
With this new find, the number of known harvestman species from Baltic amber rises to 19. From ancient Ukrainian Rovno amber, the number is now seven. Six species are found in both regions.
Deep Dive & References
3D analyses of the first ortholasmatine harvestmen from European Eocene ambers - Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, 2026
