Theridiidae (Spider) in Baltic Amber – 11.6mm Fossil Inclusion

Specifications

• Specimens: Theridiidae (Spider)
• Amber Size: 11.6 mm
• Age: Eocene Epoch (44–49 million years old)
• Locality: Juodkrantė, Lithuania
• Geological Material: Baltic Amber
• Display: Labeled case included
• Condition: Natural, no enhancements

This specimen contains a well-preserved Theridiidae (spider) inclusion within genuine Baltic Amber, formed in the Eocene Epoch (~44–49 Ma). Theridiid spiders belong to the order Araneae and represent one of the most diverse families of web-building arachnids. The presence of Theridiidae in Baltic amber provides crucial information about ancient predator guilds, web strategies, and forest arthropod communities.

The Juodkrantė locality is famed for producing some of the world’s best-preserved arachnid inclusions due to the clarity, stability, and polymerization quality of Baltic succinite. Close inspection of this 11.6 mm amber piece may reveal fine anatomical traits such as tarsal claws, setae patterns, pedipalp structure, and abdominal morphology — all of which contribute to species-level identification and evolutionary analysis.

Baltic amber formed when resin from Eocene conifer forests flowed and hardened around trapped arthropods. This rapid encapsulation prevented decay, preserving spiders in exceptional detail rarely achievable in other fossilization environments. As such, Theridiidae inclusions are scientifically valuable for understanding Eocene biodiversity, predator-prey dynamics, and lineage stability over millions of years.

This specimen is fully natural, untreated, and scientifically meaningful, housed in a labeled display case ideal for both research and long-term curation.