Smithsonian Scientists Give a 269-Year-Old Spider Name a New Physical Reference
Nature World News | 12.11.2026 16:13
Scientists have designated a new reference specimen for Araneus angulatus, a spider first described in 1757 and recognized as the first animal species named using the two-part system still used by biologists. The Smithsonian-led team published its work November 10 in the journal Taxonomy, restoring a physical anchor for a name whose original specimens disappeared decades ago. The taxonomic paper documents the neotype designation and the comparisons behind it.
