That One Wild Three-Eyed Sea Creature from Back in the Day 💀🌊
Bizarre Three-Eyed Predator Hunted The Ocean Half a Billion Years Ago. Scientists just unearthed this prehistoric beastie with THREE EYES. Homie was out here hunting 500 million years ago. It's called *Mosura fentoni*, and it's low-key changing what we thought we knew about early sea life. The creat
TL:DR
Scientists just unearthed this prehistoric beastie with THREE EYES. Homie was out here hunting 500 million years ago. It's called *Mosura fentoni*, and it's low-key changing what we thought we knew about early sea life. The creature, found in the Burgess Shale, boasts spiny claws, a circular, tooth-lined maw, and 26 body segments. It was roughly the size of a finger. Wild, right?
Spilling the Tea
Okay, so scientists just dropped some serious knowledge bombs about this new creature they found. Peep *Mosura fentoni*, a radiodont that was swimming around in the ocean like, half a BILLION years ago. Yeah, you heard that right. 500 million years. This creature was the size of your finger!
First of all, this thing had THREE EYES! Like, what?! And not only that, but it also had spiny claws and a mouth full of teeth. Imagine seeing that thing coming at you. No thanks! But, for real, it was rocking flippers and this whole segmented bod thing too. It had 26 body segments, and they were low-key lined with gills near its rear end, probably helping it breathe while it was out there hunting.
They found the fossils in the Burgess Shale, which is this legendary spot where they find all kinds of crazy old creatures. Apparently, this place is so good at preserving stuff that they even got to see *Mosura*'s circulatory and nervous system!
And get this: This discovery is actually changing the way scientists think about how arthropods (you know, like bugs and stuff) evolved. Turns out, these early arthropods were way more diverse and complex than they previously thought. *Mosura* had an open circulatory system with lacunae, similar to modern arthropods, and a super sus respiratory system near its rear.
Big shoutout to all the museums who are holding onto a treasure trove of these fossils, from the Raymond Quarry and near Marble Canyon, because by studying both existing and new collections, researchers pieced together this beastie's story. It turns out that the Burgess Shale is a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of moments like this.
Abbreviations Glossary
| Abbreviation | Full Form |
|---|---|
| Low-key | A little bit, somewhat. |
| Homie | Friend, pal. |
| No thanks | Expression to display aversion. |
| Sus | Suspicious. |