Giant Scorpions Roamed Ancient Britain Before Dinosaurs
The Scorpion King was real: Venomous creature as long as a full-grown German Shepherd once ruled the Earth before Dinosaurs
The Economic Times
Image: The Economic Times
A recent study reveals that over 400 million years ago, a giant scorpion species named Praearcturus gigas, measuring over a metre long, thrived in what is now Britain. This predator dominated its environment long before the rise of dinosaurs, challenging previous assumptions about the evolution of large arthropods.
- 01Praearcturus gigas, a giant scorpion species, measured over one metre in length, comparable to a modern German Shepherd.
- 02The species lived around 415 million years ago during a time when Britain was covered by shallow coastal waters.
- 03This discovery alters the understanding of when large invertebrates evolved, indicating they existed much earlier than previously believed.
- 04The research was conducted by scientists from The University of Manchester and the Natural History Museum, published in the journal Palaeontology.
- 05The findings suggest that ancient ecosystems could support large predators despite the simplicity of life forms at that time.
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A groundbreaking study has identified a giant scorpion species, Praearcturus gigas, that existed over 400 million years ago in what is now Britain. Measuring over one metre in length, this predator was comparable in size to a modern German Shepherd and occupied the top of the food chain during a period when much of the region was covered by shallow coastal waters. Researchers from The University of Manchester and the Natural History Museum conducted the study, which challenges long-held beliefs about the evolution of large arthropods, suggesting that some invertebrates reached remarkable sizes much earlier than previously thought. The study indicates that ancient ecosystems were capable of supporting such large predators despite the relatively simple life forms present at the time. The research, published in the journal Palaeontology, provides a rare glimpse into an ancient Earth, where giant scorpions ruled long before the appearance of dinosaurs.
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The discovery enhances understanding of ancient ecosystems and the evolution of large predators.
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