Blue Tarantulas Supposedly Evolved Eight Times | The Institute for Creation Research

Blue Tarantulas Supposedly Evolved Eight Times

Like all other animals, the origin of spiders poses an ongoing problem for evolutionists. According to the fossil record, "the first fossil spiders are known from the Devonian"1 as 100% spiders. The Devonian period supposedly ran from about 350 to 400 million years ago, but spiders haven't evolved since?

Scientists have identified about 900 modern species of tarantulas. Although large and formidable-looking, their bites are actually no worse than a wasp sting. Some tarantulas can live for several decades.

The BBC recently reported a group of tarantulas possessing a beautiful blue color that apparently has an important signaling function.2 Evolutionary researchers maintain this cobalt shade evolved at least eight separate times. But what's the evidence?

To have this amazing color evolve via "good mutations" stretches logic and credibility for several reasons. To begin, the spiders do not have any pigmentation cells to produce the unique blue color. Instead, individual hairs are designed to reflect specific wavelengths of light. The complex arrangements in these reflecting hairs are so small they are referred to as biological photonic nanostructures. It is this sophisticated arrangement within the tarantulas' hair that produces what is known as structural color, similar to the remarkable scales on the Morpho butterfly.3

Is this sophisticated coloring phenomenon the result of time, chance, and natural processes occurring eight separate times, or did it result from plan, purpose, and special creation? The latter explanation is more logical and scientific.

Evolutionist Bor-Kai Hsiung said, "It evolved from multiple origins and different mechanisms [to] produce the very same blue colour...."2 Different mechanisms and multiple origins—all by chance mind you—developed the same structural blue color at around 450 nm [nanometers] eight separate times?

No, life at every level is far too complex and orchestrated not to be designed, and the tarantula's biological photonic nanostructures are one more example.

God created spiders as fully spiders just like the fossil record shows—and this includes the incredible iridescent group of blue tarantulas.

References

  1. Allaby, M. 2020. Oxford Dictionary of Zoology, Fourth Edition. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 47.
  2. Webb, J. Tarantulas evolved blue colour 'at least eight times.' BBC News. Posted on bbc.com November 28, 2015, accessed December 1, 2015. 
  3. Thomas, B. Brilliant Butterfly Feature Challenges Darwinian Selection. Creation Science Update. Posted on icr.org September 20, 2013, accessed December 1, 2015. 

Image credit: Copyright © A. Johansson. Adapted for use in accordance with federal copyright (fair use doctrine) law. Usage by ICR does not imply endorsement of copyright holder.

*Mr. Sherwin is Research Associate, Senior Lecturer, and Science Writer at the Institute for Creation Research.

Article posted on December 10, 2015.

The Latest
NEWS
The Origin of Eukaryotes
Eukaryotes are multicellular organisms that contain diverse differentiated cell types. Within almost every cell there are subcellular compartments called...

CREATION PODCAST
Water vs. Wind: The Controversial Coconino | The Creation Podcast:...
Welcome to the sixth episode in a series called “The Failures of Old Earth Creationism.” Many Christians attempt to fit old...

NEWS
Fossil Fish Finally Filmed
The bizarre lobe-finned coelacanth (Latimeria chalumnae) “that flourished some 350 million years ago”1 continues to be a thorn...

NEWS
The Mosasaur: A Giant Sea Dragon
Mosasaurs (order Squamata) were massive marine lizards that were common in the pre-Flood oceans. Therefore, it is not surprising that their fossils...

DAYS OF PRAISE DEVOTIONALS
Summer 2025
...

NEWS
Was Life Detected on a Distant Planet?
There was celebration, albeit briefly, for the discovery of potential life on a planet called K2-18b, which is 124 lightyears away from Earth. The...

NEWS
Ichthyosaur Graveyard Explained by the Flood
Ichthyosaurs are marine reptiles that occur globally in the same rock layers as dinosaurs. Specimens with babies support the idea that they gave live...

CREATION PODCAST
What Do We Do With Geology's Unconforming Features? | The Creation...
Welcome to the fifth episode in a series called “The Failures of Old Earth Creationism.” Many Christians attempt to fit old...

NEWS
Freshwater Fish Fossil in Australia
Yet another fish fossil has been discovered. This one was found in the Australian desert and was dated by evolutionists to be “15 million years...

NEWS
May 2025 ICR Wallpaper
"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans...