Paleontologists have discovered a unique 500 million-year-old fossil in the Canadian Rockies, shedding light on an ancient predator that lived during the Cambrian Period. The species, named Mosura fentoni, is a type of arthropod known as “sea moths” due to its flap-like apparatus similar to wings. This group also includes modern moths, spiders, crabs, and millipedes.
The fossil, found in Burgess Shale, displays three eyes, a jaw lined with teeth, sharp claws, and abdominal segments lined with gills. However, it is not a fish, but rather an ancient line of sea predators known as radiodonts. The discovery provides key insight into ancestral traits for this group, which was the first to branch out in the evolutionary tree.
The fossil’s internal anatomy is remarkably well-preserved, showing details such as parts of the nervous and circulatory systems, digestive tract, and even bundles of nerves in the eyes involved in image processing. This level of detail is rare, making it an invaluable resource for understanding these ancient creatures.
One surprising feature of Mosura fentoni is its tail-like body made of segments lined with gills on its abdomen, a characteristic never seen before in radiodonts. The researchers believe this adaptation may be due to habitat preferences and behavioral characteristics that required more efficient respiration.
The Burgess Shale fossil sites, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980, have yielded dozens of Mosura fossils over the years. This discovery highlights the diversity and adaptability of early arthropods, which are closely related to modern groups such as insects and horseshoe crabs.
Source: https://abcnews.go.com/US/paleontologists-learned-fossils-3-eyed-predator-lived-500/story?id=121792677