Ancient Lobster-like Predator with Four Eyes Had Toothy, Grasping Claws

A lobster-like predator once roamed the ancient seas with two pairs of eyes and prominent grasping appendages. Scientists have discovered the fossil of this alien-looking creature, called Yawunik kootenayi, which lived as much as 508 million years ago, which is 250 million years before the first dinosaur.

"This creature is expanding our perspective on the anatomy and predatory habits of the first arthropods, the group to which spiders and lobsters belong," said Cedric Aria, lead author of the new study, in a news release. "It has the signature features of an arthropod with its external skeleton, segmented body and jointed appendages, but lacks certain advanced traits present in groups that survived until the present day. We say that is belongs to the 'stem' of arthropods.

The strange animal had long frontal appendages that resembled the antennae of modern beetles or shrimps. These appendages were composed of three long claws, two of which had opposing rows of teeth that helped the creature capture its prey.

The researchers believe that the lobster-like animal was able to move its frontal appendages backward and forward, spreading them out during an attack and then retracting them under its body when swimming. This made these appendages some of the most versatile and complex in all known arthropods.

"Unlike insects or crustaceans, Yawunik did not possess additional appendages in the head that were specifically modified to process food," said Aria. "Evolution resulted here in a combination of adaptations into the frontal-most appendage of this creature, maybe because such modifications were easier to acquire. We know that the larvae of certain crustaceans can use their antennae to both swim and gather food. But a large active predator such as the mantis shrimp has its sensory and grasping functions split up between appendages. Yawunik and its relatives tell us about the condition existing before such a division of tasks among parts of the organism took place."

The findings reveal a bit more about this strange creature. Not only that, but the study also shows a bit more about arthropod evolution.

You can check out an animation of the sea creature here.

The findings are published in the journal Palaeontology.

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