2026 in arthropod paleontology

This list records new taxa of fossil arthropods that were announced or described in 2026 (for insects, see 2026 in paleoentomology). Other peer-reviewed publications on discoveries related to arthropod paleontology which occurred in that year are also detailed here.

Chelicerates

Arachnids

Opiliones

• A harvestman with pedipalp morphology distinct from those of other fossil and extant members of the group is described from the Eocene Baltic amber by Gerbe et al. (2026). ^[1]

Xiphosurans

Xiphosuran research

• Fossils of large-bodied horseshoe crabs, associated with trace fossils assigned to the new ichnospecies Selenichnites sursumdeorsum , are described from the Ordovician (Darriwilian) Saq Formation (Saudi Arabia) by Bicknell et al. (2026), who interpret the presence of the studied specimens in a nearshore environment and their preservation in storm-deposited layers as possible evidence of similarity of spawning behaviors of Ordovician and modern horseshoe crabs. ^[2]

Crustaceans

Other Crustaceans

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Type locality	Country	Notes	Images
Weichangiops squamosus [3]	Sp. nov	in press	Wang, Ren & Zhao	Early Cretaceous	Yixian Formation	China	A notostracan. Announced in late 2025 Officially published in February 2026

Other crustacean research

• Wang et al provide an detailed description update for Weichangiops trangularis Yang & Hong, 1980 based on new fossil materials. The new fossils allow for the discussion of early Notostraca evolutionary processes. ^[3]

Insects

Main article: 2026 in paleoentomology

Other Arthropods

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Type locality	Country	Notes	Images
Tuzoia isuelaensis [4]	Sp. nov	In press	Izquierdo-López et al.	Cambrian Cambrian Stage 4 - Drumian		Spain	A non-trilobite arthropod. Announced in late 2025 Officially published in February 2026

References

1. Gerbe, A.; Bartel, C.; Haug, C.; Arce, S. I.; Dunlop, J.; Haug, J. T. (2026). "An unusual harvestman from Eocene Baltic amber presenting a previously unknown morphology of the pedipalps". Fossil Record. 29 (1): 1–9. doi: 10.3897/fr.29.174226 .
2. Bicknell, R. D. C.; Kimmig, J.; Cuomo, C.; Goodman, A.; Edgecombe, G. D.; Issautier, B.; Freedman, J. (2026). "Ordovician horseshoe crab body and trace fossil association preserved in a unique taphonomic setting". Gondwana Research. doi: 10.1016/j.gr.2025.11.011 .
3. Wang, W.; Ren, D.; Zhao, Z. (2025). "New fossil notostracans (Branchiopoda, Notostraca) from the Lower Cretaceous of Inner Mongolia, China". Cretaceous Research. 178 106216. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106216.
4. Izquierdo-López, A.; Liñán, E.; Gámez Vintaned, J. A.; Gozalo, R. (2025). "Cambrian (Stage 4–Drumian) non-trilobite arthropods from the Murero biota (Spain)". Journal of the Geological Society. 183 (1) jgs2025-095. doi:10.1144/jgs2025-095.