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Health & Science4h 12m ago

A 415-million-year-old fossil, previously thought to be a giant marine crustacean, has been reclassified as one of the largest scorpions ever discovered, Praearcturus gigas.

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England, Canada, Wales, Somerset, London

Who
Richard J. Howard, Henry Woodward, researchers
What
A 415-million-year-old fossil, previously thought to be a giant marine crustacean, has been reclassified as one of the largest scorpions ever discovered, Praearcturus gigas.
When
Sun, 14 Jun 2026 20:52:13 GMT · 4h 12m ago
Where
England, Canada, Wales, Somerset, London ·
Why
New research comparing the fossil with Eramoscorpius revealed a distinctive shared triangular structure, confirming its scorpion classification.
The Frontline Impact

How this affects you

This reclassification rewrites the timeline of giant predatory arthropod evolution, indicating that such creatures appeared tens of millions of years earlier than previously thought, impacting scientific understanding of early terrestrial ecosystems.

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4 events in this thread
  1. Health & Science4h 12m ago
    A 415-million-year-old fossil, previously thought to be a giant marine crustacean, has been reclassified as one of the largest scorpions ever discovered based on a new study.
    Open article
  2. Health & Science4h 12m ago
    A 415-million-year-old fossil, previously believed to be a giant marine crustacean, has been reclassified as one of the largest scorpions ever discovered.
    Open article
  3. Currently Reading4h 12m ago
    A 415-million-year-old fossil, previously thought to be a giant marine crustacean, has been reclassified as one of the largest scorpions ever discovered, Praearcturus gigas.
  4. Health & Science4h 12m ago
    A 415-million-year-old fossil, previously thought to be a giant marine crustacean, has been reclassified as one of the largest scorpions ever discovered.
    Open article

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