The first fossil arthropods appear in the Cambrian Period (541.0 million to 485.4 million years ago) and are represented by trilobites, merostomes, and crustaceans.

Where did arthropods first appear?

Fossil record

Small arthropods with bivalve-like shells have been found in Early Cambrian fossil beds dating 541 to 539 million years ago in China and Australia.

How long have arthropods been on Earth?

Arthropods: A success story. Almost any way you look at them, arthropods are successful: They have been around for more than 500 million years and are still evolving. They live on Earth in overwhelming numbers.