Scientists discover 3D fossil portrait of 'world's first spider'

Scientists have discovered the 3D fossil portrait of what could be one of the world's first spiders.

The creature named Enalikter aphson, which was discovered nestled in a rock in Herefordshire, has a shape of a Christmas-tree, has no eyes, a primitive tail and hundreds of legs, the Daily Express reported.

The fossil arthropod measures just two centimetres long and is part of an extinct group of arthropods knows as the megacheira, which is 425 million years old.

The research, which was led by Derek Siveter, University of Oxford, said that it is incredible that the creature survived and the nodule acted like a womb.

The 3D images suggest that the creature had a whip-like appendage near its mouth and the researchers believe it may have been used to catch other marine animals to eat.