Ancient Lobster-Like Predator Was Local To Canadian Waters

Researchers at the University of Toronto have discovered a 508 million-year-old lobster whose relative looks to have first appeared back in the waters of Canada some 250 million years before the dinosaurs first appeared. The ancient creature also looks to have been connected to both butterflies and spiders. Officials have dubbed the species Yawunik kootenayi.

"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 lead study author Cedric Aria, a PhD candidate in U of T's Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, 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 it belongs to the 'stem' of arthropods."

Unlike other creatures that were similar, the animal was able to move its frontal appendages both backwards and forwards, retracting them under its body as it swam.

"Unlike insects or crustaceans, Yawunik did not possess additional appendages in the head that were specifically modified to process food," she added.

Researchers believed that this lobster was at the top of the food chain, playing an important role in the ancient ecosystem. In fact, to cement it's importance, it's name refers to the homage of the mythological marine creature of the Ktunaxa People, the "Yawunik," that inhabited the Kootenay area where the fossils were found.

For more great nature science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN).