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Ancient 8-Foot Sea Scorpions Probably Were Pussycats
Live Science ^ | 12/30/2010 | Charles Q. Choi

Posted on 01/03/2011 10:07:49 AM PST by Silentgypsy

Ancient sea scorpions included the largest and arguably most frightening bug-like creatures known to have lived on Earth, but despite their fearsome claws, these giants might actually have been creampuffs, scientists think.

(Excerpt) Read more at livescience.com ...


TOPICS: Pets/Animals; Science
KEYWORDS: ancient; arthropods; godsgravesglyphs; paleontology; rockulikeahurricane; scorpions; sea
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1 posted on 01/03/2011 10:07:51 AM PST by Silentgypsy
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To: Silentgypsy; SunkenCiv

We could call them Blast-Ended Skrewts.


2 posted on 01/03/2011 10:13:12 AM PST by GeronL
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To: Silentgypsy

Imagine these on your Shrimp-platter!



3 posted on 01/03/2011 10:14:11 AM PST by OneWingedShark (Q: Why am I here? A: To do Justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with my God.)
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To: Silentgypsy
The scientists analyzed claws from a group of one of the largest sea scorpions, Acutiramus, which lived about 416 million to 419 million years ago in what is now New York and Ontario, Canada. They calculated that the pincers could only safely apply no more than 5 newtons of force without damaging themselves.

So, 400 million years ago New York had what were basically 8 foot long cockroaches that ate Fig Newtons.

4 posted on 01/03/2011 10:15:16 AM PST by 6SJ7 (atlasShruggedInd = TRUE)
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To: Silentgypsy
Boiled with melted butter...Mmmmmm!


5 posted on 01/03/2011 10:16:58 AM PST by LibFreeOrDie (Obama promised a gold mine, but will give us the shaft.)
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To: Silentgypsy

I should have been a pair of ragged claws
Scuttling across the floors of silent seas.

— TS Eliot


6 posted on 01/03/2011 10:17:23 AM PST by ClearCase_guy
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To: Silentgypsy

I wonder if PETA wrote this, what with their whole “sea kittehs” thing...


7 posted on 01/03/2011 10:17:23 AM PST by GraceG
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To: Silentgypsy
These monstrous pterygotids were believed to be terrors of the seas 470 million to 370 million years ago, long before the dinosaurs appeared, reaching more than 8 feet (2.5 meters) long with large claws laden with sharp spines.

We'll be needing the giant economy size ...

8 posted on 01/03/2011 10:18:24 AM PST by ArrogantBustard (Western Civilization is Aborting, Buggering, and Contracepting itself out of existence.)
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To: Silentgypsy

Pussycats are creampuffs? They haven’t met Her Royal Highness Ruler of the Universe who thinks nothing of whuppin’ up on the 90 pound bear here.


9 posted on 01/03/2011 10:18:44 AM PST by bgill (K Parliament- how could a young man born in Kenya who is not even a native American become the POTUS)
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To: OneWingedShark

Looks like a giant slipper lobster.


10 posted on 01/03/2011 10:19:02 AM PST by stuartcr (When politicians politicize issues, aren't they just doing their job?)
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To: Silentgypsy

They say that the globe might be getting warmer too.


11 posted on 01/03/2011 10:19:02 AM PST by Delta 21 (If you cant tell if I'm being sarcastic...maybe I'm not.)
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To: LibFreeOrDie

If I had a time machine I would open a seafood resteraunt that would specialize in very ancient, very large, seafood....

Now I know WHY they went extinct, LOL.


12 posted on 01/03/2011 10:19:30 AM PST by GraceG
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To: Silentgypsy
Japanese Spider Crabs
13 posted on 01/03/2011 10:22:17 AM PST by pgyanke (Republicans get in trouble when not living up to their principles. Democrats... when they do.)
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To: OneWingedShark

Tastes just like chicken.


14 posted on 01/03/2011 11:03:47 AM PST by frithguild (The Democrat Party Brand - Big Government protecting Entrenched Interests from Competition)
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To: GeronL
I was about to reply, "I'll be Hagred said the same thing about 'Blast-Ended Skrewts.'"

Ya beat me to it!

Mark

15 posted on 01/03/2011 11:09:01 AM PST by MarkL (Do I really look like a guy with a plan?)
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To: MarkL

lol.

They be harmless really, cute things aren’t they?


16 posted on 01/03/2011 11:10:58 AM PST by GeronL
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To: Silentgypsy

Find a bone...

...sketch a creature...

...speculate endlessly on its personality...

...all at taxpayer expense.


17 posted on 01/03/2011 11:51:19 AM PST by Yet_Again
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To: Silentgypsy


Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.

18 posted on 01/03/2011 11:52:17 AM PST by The Comedian (Government: Saving people from freedom since time immemorial.)
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To: Silentgypsy

I’ve seen the original fossils of honking big eurypterids, and nobody can convince me that these could be anything but terrifying.


19 posted on 01/03/2011 1:19:11 PM PST by warchild9
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To: warchild9

Their pincers are supposed to be capable of a pressure of 5 newtons, whatever that means, as opposed to that of the jaws of T rex (200K newtons.) Don’t quote me on the figures.
Visualize walking one on a leash....


20 posted on 01/03/2011 2:34:50 PM PST by Silentgypsy
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