Discover fossils of exotic shrimp with apricot and 50 legs

Scientists have discovered fossils of the strange 508 million year old shrimp, which are considered to be the oldest arthropods in the world.

Arthropods are a group of invertebrates, including: Spiders, insects and shrimp. Many other species such as flies, ants and centipedes have more limbs to catch and bite food.

But so far the scientific world is not clear how this unique ability has evolved.

Simulation of 50-foot shrimp.

Current researchers suggest that the extra genus developed from the late Cambrian period is known as the period of biodiversity boom that lasted from about 543 million years to 490 million years ago.

In 2012, they discovered the first 21 fossils in sedimentary rock at Kootenay National Park, British Columbia, Canada.

The discovered 50-foot shrimp fossil has a scientific name called Tokummia Katalepsis , 10cm long in Tokumm Creek, which runs north of the park through Marble Canyon .

50-foot shrimp fossils.

Like other Cambrian animals, Tokummia Katalepsis looks too bizarre compared to today's shrimp. They have up to 50 feet like paddles to swim and move under the tropical sea.

Moreover, its pair is considered to be the strongest among the Cambrian arthropods. It is these two that help them catch and bite their soft-bodied prey easily.

In addition, the peculiar shrimp also has a hard shell like apricot, consists of 2 pieces and 2 tiny eyes facing out like antennas. However, the most striking feature is that Tokummia Katalepsis has serrated teeth.

The group of animals with extra genera is the most diverse and crowded group of arthropods on the planet. Among them are many animals (such as centipedes and their relatives), crustaceans (like shrimp and leeches) . and insects.

Marble Canyon.

First, some researchers believe that bivalve organisms are the first ancestors of arthropods. But the new analysis shows that Tokummia Katalepsis is not the same as the arthropod family, they evolved eventually, after the chelicerata (spider and tick) split into a separate genus.

In addition, the surgery analysis Tokummia Katalepsis showed that other traits that make up extra. For example, more than 50 burning legs are an important supplement to develop secondary burns and structures around the main limb, called "hip joints " and spontaneously sprout.

The discovery of arthropods has an important additional cost to understand the evolution of polyhedra, crustaceans and insects. Hopefully other researchers will also see ancient arthropods like the 508 million-year-old fossil.