The origin of spiders is widely discussed among zoologists studying invertebrates. According to the fossil record, spiders have always had four pairs of legs.1 All fossil spiders discovered so far are fully formed spiders, not ambiguous evolutionary ancestors with partial or transitional traits.
A significant discovery was made by biologists from the Dalquest Desert Research Station at Midwestern State University in the Chihuahuan Desert in western Texas in 1999. They discovered a small spider, later named the Texas Mystery Spider, which proved to be ‘highly significant in the field of arachnology’.2
Eventually, it was determined that the mysterious spider is a representative of Myrmecicultor chihuahuensis – a new family of spiders that lives in symbiosis with at least three different genera of ants.3 It is likely that Myrmecicultor and these ants share a mutualistic relationship, meaning both species benefit from the interaction without harm to either. A similar phenomenon can be observed in lichens, where green algae and fungi coexist.4
More than half of the animals known to biology live in symbiosis within their communities. Evolutionary scientists cannot explain the origin of symbiotic relationships between animals; their explanations are vague. One report states:
‘When life on earth developed, symbiotic associations arose as a successful strategy millions of years ago, with which organisms of different species cooperate as a close-knit community, to gain an advantage in the struggle for survival. However, we still largely do not know why they do this, what the real benefits of such partnerships are, and which molecular mechanisms are important.’5
Consider, for example, the symbiotic relationship between small cleaner shrimp and large predatory fish, in which the shrimp clean the fish’s teeth. How could such a relationship have developed by chance over an extended period of time? After all, these fish typically prey on small invertebrates, such as shrimp. What prompted the shrimp to begin swimming into the mouth of a potentially dangerous fish? And how did it come about that, simultaneously, the fish developed the instinct to allow the shrimp to remove food scraps and parasites from its mouth and gums, before swimming away unharmed? Remarkably, the fish would then have to continue searching for food, including small invertebrates like shrimp.
The theory of evolution cannot explain such symbiotic relationships. On the other hand, creationists view them as special adaptations that characterize each type of animal due to their unique role in the web of life.
The same applies to Myrmecicultor spiders. Their relationships with ants are a mystery to secular scientists, but not to creationists. For creationists, spiders have always been spiders, and ants have always been ants – designed by the Creator in such a way as to be part of the astonishing biological diversity on Earth.
By the way, we recommend reading the articles:
- Virological Terminology
- Did Pterosaurs Have Feathers?
- Plants and Mathematics – What Do They Have in Common?
- What Does the Bible Say About a Healthy Diet and Nutrition?
- Defining the Human-Animal Divide
Footnotes
- Sherwin, F. 2015. ‘Spiders Have Always Been Spiders’, Creation Science Update, 19 March. Available at: https://www.icr.org; Sherwin, F. 2019. ‘Delicate Spider Fossil Discovered’, Creation Science Update, 21 February. Available at: https://www.icr.org.
- Floyd, K. 2019. ‘New Family of Spiders Found on MSU Texas’ Dalquest Land’, Midwestern State University News Release, 16 July. Available at: https://news.msutexas.edu.
- Ramirez, M. et al. 2019. ‘Myrmecicultoridae, a New Family of Myrmecophilic Spiders from the Chihuahuan Desert (Araneae: Entelegynae)’, American Museum Novitates, 3930(3930), pp. 1-24. doi: 10.1206/3930.1.
- Tomkins, J. P. 2020. ‘Symbiotic Lichens Showcase Our Creator’s Ingenuity’, Acts & Facts, 49(2), p. 15.
- Evolution of Metabolic Dependency as Base for Ancestral Symbiosis. 2018. Kiel University News Release, 26 June. Available at: https://kls.uni-kiel.de.
Based on: F. Sherwin, ‘A Texas-Size Spider Mystery’, Acts & Facts, Institute for Creation Research, March 2021, p. 14.
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