Chinese scientists have uncovered the remains of enormous sea scorpions that lived 435 million years ago
Chinese scientists discovered traces of a giant sea scorpion 1m long, the peak predator about 435 million years ago. According to a study published in the journal Science Bulletin, Chinese archaeologists recently discovered the remains of the sea scorpion Terropterus xiushanensis. This is an ancient arthropod closely related to modern spiders. The spines of giant sea scorpions are used to capture prey, similar to those found in spiders, said the study authors, from the Nanjing Institute of Geology and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. This fearsome animal lived during the Silurian period, which is about 443.8 million to 419.2 million years ago. At this point, the scorpion may be the apex predator in the aquatic habitats it inhabits. They often attack fish and mollusks, grabbing them with their forelimbs and then eating them. Ancient sea scorpions come in many sizes, the smallest being the size of a human hand and the largest possibly being as big as an adult...