A new fossil spider from the Triassic (Norian) Dolomia di Forni Formation of Friuli, Italy, is described as Friularachne rigoi gen.
et sp. nov. This find brings the number of known Triassic spider
species to four. The specimen is an adult male, and consideration of
various features, including enlarged, porrect chelicerae, subequal leg
length, and presence of a dorsal scutum, point to its identity as a
possible member of the mygalomorph superfamily Atypoidea. If correct,
this would extend the geological record of the superfamily some 98–115
Ma from the late Early Cretaceous (?Albian, c. 100–112 Ma) to the late
middle–early late Norian (c. 210–215Ma).
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