Arthropod-like organisms termed wadudu (singular mdudu) are abundant across the planet and include multi-limbed, terrestrial taxa that resemble spiders, millipedes and insects. Spidrids are superficially spider- or crab-like animals that have adapted to deserts, coasts, woodlands and other habitats, ranging in size from less than 1 mm to 30-40 cm in diameter. Unlike arthropods, they exhibit radial symmetry, with four eyes mounted on the top of the head. They hence don’t have a ‘front’ and can move equally well in any direction.
Explanations and tests. This brings me a key aspect of the book, and indeed the entire Furahan project. Van Dijk’s organisms don’t just do whatever they do based on the designer’s intuition. Rather, he has shown his working, explained his thinking and has even indulged in hypothesis testing when devising body shapes and patterns of locomotion. A detailed and well-illustrated guide to spidrid locomotion is provided (van Dijk 2025, pp. 82-83). If the insect-like organisms of Furaha possess wings and are capable of flight, how would flight occur given body plans built on radial symmetry? Tetrapter flight is explained in a devoted section (van Dijk 2025, pp. 88-89), and likewise for matters concerning locomotion in other organisms.
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