Citizen science data reveals how harvestmen spiders evolved dedicated paternal care—a rare trait in arachnids. This discovery reshapes our understanding of evolutionary parenting strategies.

KEY TAKEAWAY Harvestmen dads guard eggs for up to 3 weeks—unheard of in most arachnids

KEY TAKEAWAY iNaturalist data provided 78% of the behavioral observations

KEY TAKEAWAY Researchers traced this trait to a common ancestor 110 million years ago

KEY TAKEAWAY Shows how crowd-sourced science can tackle long-standing biological mysteries

KEY FACT Male harvestmen increase egg survival rates by 300% compared to unattended clutches.

Devoted Dads and Citizen Science: How Harvestmen Spiders Evolved to Guard Their Young

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