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Sea scorpions, ancient marine predators that lived hundreds of millions of years ago, were among the planet’s top predators. However, scientists have long debated why these creatures grew so large. A recent study published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B sheds new light on this mystery.
Researchers at Yale University analyzed 138 eurypterid species and found that giant size evolved rapidly and independently in different groups at least nine times. They discovered no correlation between the evolution of giant size and changes in habitat oxygen levels, temperature, latitude, or local diversity, which were previously proposed as explanations.
Instead, the study suggests that features of eurypterids themselves, such as their reproductive strategy or genome size, may have allowed them to evolve giant size rapidly. The findings highlight the importance of considering an organism’s own characteristics in understanding its evolution.
The study was inspired by the Ciurca Collection at Yale University and co-authored by multiple researchers from Yale and other institutions.
Source: https://phys.org/news/2024-08-reveal-eurypterids-evolved-giant-size.html