Laetoli Production, together with illustrator and animator Samba Soussoko, has launched a free anatomy-reference app focused entirely on the arthropod kingdom. The Arthropods Anatomy Reference App (sometimes called Arthropodes) offers 3D scans of real insects, spiders, crabs and other exoskeletal oddities collected from European museum archives. The idea is simple but delightfully unsettling: instead of staring at flat reference photos of beetles and centipedes, artists can rotate, measure and dissect these tiny nightmares directly in 3D.
Small zoo, big ambitions
At launch, the app features twelve scanned specimens, an admittedly modest start, but one that should already cover the basics for anyone designing mandibles, antennae or far too many legs. More scans are promised “in the coming months”. Each model can be freely explored in a browser or, for those who like their bugs a bit more permanent, via a free Windows-only desktop version.
The app lets users hide or isolate specific body parts, allowing a clean view of wings, carapaces or leg joints without the clutter. You can even measure distances or angles between parts, handy for anyone trying to make sure their digital spider isn’t accidentally violating the laws of insect biomechanics. For the detail-obsessed, two species can be displayed side by side for direct comparison, say, a crab next to a centipede, if you need inspiration for your next fantasy hybrid.
Why anyone sane would want this
Creature designers, modellers and riggers often need grounded anatomical data, even for fantasy work. Having museum-accurate arthropods at your fingertips saves endless time hunting for blurry reference photos online. It also ensures that even the most monstrous alien bug in your next VFX shot has credible proportions. Still, one look at some of the included specimens makes it clear why we chose the tamest beetle possible for the image. Some of these creatures are perfect for Halloween mood-boarding and possibly for testing one’s courage.
A tool to bug your pipeline (gently)
Currently, the app runs in a web browser or via a Windows executable, with no macOS or Linux versions announced. There’s no detailed data on scan resolution, polygon counts or export options, so artists should test it carefully before integrating it into a professional workflow. Despite its early-release limitations, it’s a solid niche reference tool for designers who prefer to measure a millipede rather than invent one from scratch.
For now, the Arthropods app feels like a digital cabinet of curiosities: part science, part art, and part “please keep that thing away from me”. It’s free, it’s surprisingly informative, and it might even help your creature rigs look a little more biologically plausible. If your next project involves creepy-crawlies, carapaces or too many eyes, this app is worth a spin, literally. Just maybe don’t open it right before bed.
