Scientists have discovered a bizarre human-sized lobster ancestor that lived 480 million years ago.
The monster used spiny “limbs” on its head to sift food from the ocean.
It also had pairs of fins along both sides of its 2m-long body, which are precursors of the double limbs seen in many of its living relatives.
This adds to our picture of how modern “arthropods” developed – a group of animals that includes crustaceans, spiders and insects.
An unusually well-preserved fossil from Morocco was the key to the discovery.
The fossil itself was first found by fossil hunter Mohamed Ben Moula and is named in his honour: Aegirocassis benmoulae. The first part of the name refers to a giant Norse sea god (Aegir) and the Latin for helmet (cassis).
25 Responses
That is big and awesome!!!!!!!!
giant
First one too
wow
THat is EPIC!
i wanna eat it. it will taste good
awesomecool
Thats horrific
awesome i can’t wait!
that is very big
cool
WOW!!
awesome????
how do we know if this is even real and its just someone lying
man that is cool and big to!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That must have been a really good discovery!?
That is very odd and interesting.
wow!
I want them to take it to Christchurch
No. Someone is not lying about this. Because they only do that on April fools for a joke. And a good article. Must have been a great discovery.
wow I wonder what zoo it lives in and where they found it
crazy! very,very,BIG
Lie
where did you find that thing its huge
that is not real