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Scientists recreate the head of this ancient 9-foot-long bug
AP News ^ | October 09, 2024 | CHRISTINA LARSON

Posted on 10/10/2024 4:30:12 AM PDT by Red Badger

WASHINGTON (AP) — As if the largest bug to ever live – a monster nearly 9 feet long with several dozen legs – wasn’t terrifying enough, scientists could only just imagine what the extinct beast’s head looked like.

That’s because many of the fossils of these creatures are headless shells that were left behind when they molted, squirming out of their exoskeletons through the head opening as they grew ever bigger — up to 8 to 9 feet (2.6 meters) and more than 100 pounds (50 kilograms).

Now, scientists have produced a mug shot after studying fossils of juveniles that were complete and very well preserved, if not quite cute.

The giant bug’s topper was a round bulb with two short bell-shaped antennae, two protruding eyes like a crab, and a rather small mouth adapted for grinding leaves and bark, according to new research published Wednesday in Science Advances.

Called Arthropleura, these were arthropods -- the group that includes crabs, spiders and insects – with features of modern-day centipedes and millipedes. But some of them were much, much bigger, and this one was a surprising mix.

“We discovered that it had the body of a millipede, but head of a centipede,” said study co-author and paleobiologist Mickael Lheritier at the University Claude Bernard Lyon in Villeurbanne, France.

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


TOPICS: History; Outdoors; Pets/Animals; Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: centipede; cryptobiology; godsgravesglyphs; millipede; paleontology
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To: Tax-chick
The giant ground sloths probably would smell bad but would not try to kill you.

Sounds like some roommates I have had.

41 posted on 10/10/2024 8:48:05 AM PDT by Harmless Teddy Bear ( Not my circus. Not my monkeys. But I can pick out the clowns at 100 yards.)
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To: Red Badger
my favorite GL...


42 posted on 10/10/2024 8:49:02 AM PDT by Z28.310 (does not comply well with others)
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To: Harmless Teddy Bear

Yes, I think they would smell dreadful, but they’re herbivores.


43 posted on 10/10/2024 9:48:02 AM PDT by Tax-chick (Sounds like a great idea, with the best of intentions. What could possibly go wrong?)
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