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Reconstruction of how Spartobranchus tenuis would have looked
Posted on 03/13/2013 3:14:27 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
Scientists have revealed insights into a peculiar, phallus-shaped creature discovered at a fossil site in Canada.
The animal has been identified as Spartobranchus tenuis, a species from the Cambrian period that was previously unknown to science.
The odd-looking creature was an ancient relative of acorn worms that exist today, according to researchers.
Their study, published in the journal Nature, is the first full description of the prehistoric animal.
Remains of soft-bodied worms were found in the Burgess Shale fossil beds in Yoho National Park, British Columbia, Canada throughout the last century.
But now researchers studying the 505 million years old fossils have for the first time given a detailed insight into the lives of the bizarre beasts.
The prehistoric marine creatures were around the size of an earthworm, "but unlike an earthworm that's segmented from its front end to its back end, these guys just had three distinct body segments," said research team member Dr Christopher Cameron from the University of Montreal, Canada.
The animals' phallus-shaped anatomy consisted of a head, or "muscular proboscis", in front of a short "collar" and ended with "a posterior kind of long wormy tail which has gill slits", Dr Cameron explained. The body ended in a bulbous structure which may have helped it anchor to the sea bed.
The team's identification of Spartobranchus tenuis pushes the appearance of enteropneusts (or acorn worms) in the fossil record back a further 200 million years to the Cambrian period (545 to 495 million years ago). Previously, the oldest specimens found were from the later Triassic period (248 million to 205 million years ago).
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...
That pic would fit right in on the Sandra Fluke thread.
Soon to be included in the Women’s Studies programs at all participating universities.
Have you seen the gooeyducks (geoduck)?
ping.
Ancient ancestors of the dickheads...aka dumblecrats.
LOL!
They had them as an ingredient in a mystery basket on Chopped on the Food Channel.. I’ve seen specials that visited where they got ‘farmed’.. uggh.
They should have named it the Billclintonchus.
or Sandra Fluke for that matter. At least Sandra would need contraceptive services. Just saying
oops, or Sandra Fluke for that matter. At least Sandra wouldn’t need free contraceptive services. Just saying
Just don’t searcg for stinkhorn mushroom.
Just don’t.
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| GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother & Ernest_at_the_Beach | |
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Thanks NormsRevenge. |
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Geoducks are pretty good. The necks are a little tough, but the meat between the edges of the shell makes a good-sized “clam steak” and is delicious quickly sautéed with olive oil, white wine, chives, parsley, and a little black pepper.
Yum!
they do look like a meaty thing .. but can ya grill ‘em?
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