A previously unknown species of arthropod has been discovered thanks to its fossil remains dating back 450 million years. The fossilized specimen was three-dimensionally preserved in pyrite. The new species, Lomankus edgecombei, is distantly related to spiders, scorpions and limulids.
The discovery is the work of a team led by Luke Parry, from the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.
The fossil was found at a paleontological site in New York state, US, which contains a layer of rock that is home to numerous trilobites with incredibly good preservation.
The animals preserved at that site lived in a hostile, oxygen-poor environment that allowed pyrite to replace parts of their bodies after being buried under the sediments, giving rise to spectacular three-dimensional fossils of a striking golden color, as if they were made of gold.
The new species belongs to the group of megaqueiros (or megaqueirans), an emblematic group of arthropods with a large modified leg, a kind of arm, in the front part of the body. Many of them used this appendage to capture prey.
Megaqueiros such as Lomankus edgecombei were highly diverse during the Cambrian period (between 538 million and 485 million years ago), but were believed to have largely become extinct during the Ordovician period (between 485 and 443 million years ago).
This discovery offers important new clues to solving the old puzzle of how arthropods developed head appendages: one or more pairs of legs located at the front of the body that were modified to perform specialized functions such as immediately sensing the environment and capturing prey. Some of these appendages are the antennae of insects and crustaceans, as well as the pincers and fangs of spiders and scorpions.
Artistic recreation of what typical adult individuals of Lomankus edgecombei most likely looked like in life. (Image: Xiaodong Wang)
“Today there are more species of arthropods than any other group of animals on Earth. Part of the key to this success is its highly adaptable head and appendages, which have adapted to various challenges like an organic Swiss army knife,” Parry points out.
While other megaqueiros used the large anterior appendage to capture prey, in Lomankus its typical claws are much reduced, with three long, flexible whip-shaped flagella at the end. This suggests that Lomankus used this frontal appendage to sense the environment, rather than to capture prey, indicating that it led a very different lifestyle from its older evolutionary relatives of the Cambrian period. It appears that, unlike other megaqueiros, Lomankus edgecombei lacked eyes, suggesting that it used its frontal appendage to forage for food in the dark, oxygen-poor environment in which it lived.
“Rather than representing an ‘evolutionary dead end,’ Lomankus shows us that megaqueiros continued to diversify and evolve long after the Cambrian, with the once-fearsome large appendage now serving an entirely different function,” says Parry.
The study is titled “A pyritized Ordovician magroiliid arthropod.” And it was published in the academic journal Current Biology. (Fountain: NCYT by Amazings)
Interview Between Time.news Editor and Dr. Luke Parry
Time.news Editor: Welcome, Dr. Luke Parry, and thank you for joining us today. You recently made headlines with your exciting discovery of a new species of arthropod, Lomankus edgecombei. Can you tell us more about how this finding came about?
Dr. Luke Parry: Thank you for having me! The discovery of Lomankus edgecombei was truly serendipitous. While conducting research at a paleontological site in New York, known for its incredible preservation of trilobites, we stumbled upon this fossilized specimen. This area had layers of rock rich in fossils, and while sifting through them, we noticed something unusual—a three-dimensional fossil preserved in pyrite, which is quite rare.
Time.news Editor: That sounds fascinating! What is it about the pyrite preservation that makes this species so special?
Dr. Luke Parry: Great question! Pyrite preservation allows for exceptional detail in fossils. In this case, the specimens were buried in a low-oxygen environment, which facilitated the replacement of organic materials with pyrite. The resulting fossils have a striking golden color and incredible three-dimensional structure, which provides us with a clearer understanding of their morphology and biology.
Time.news Editor: Lomankus edgecombei is distantly related to spiders and scorpions. Can you explain how this discovery helps us understand the evolutionary history of such arthropods?
Dr. Luke Parry: Absolutely! This new species belongs to the group of megaqueiros, which were highly diverse during the Cambrian period but largely went extinct during the Ordovician. By studying Lomankus edgecombei, we gain crucial insights into the evolution of head appendages in arthropods—those modified legs that evolved to perform specialized functions like sensing the environment and capturing prey. This could help us understand the ancestry of modern insects, crustaceans, and arachnids.
Time.news Editor: It’s amazing to think how such ancient creatures can inform our understanding of modern species. What are some broader implications of your findings for the field of paleontology?
Dr. Luke Parry: Our discovery emphasizes the importance of fossilized remains in piecing together the story of life on Earth. It opens new avenues of research regarding the diversity and adaptations of ancient arthropods. The evolutionary traits we observe in Lomankus edgecombei can inform our understanding of biodiversity patterns and extinction events throughout geological history.
Time.news Editor: As you continue your research, what other areas of study are you looking into within this line of inquiry?
Dr. Luke Parry: We are particularly interested in exploring other fossils from the same site to see if there are more megaqueiros or perhaps other unknown species. We also want to compare the anatomical features of Lomankus edgecombei with those of its contemporaries. This could shed light on the ecological roles these organisms played during the Cambrian and how they adapted to their environments.
Time.news Editor: It sounds like you have plenty of work ahead of you! Before we wrap up, is there a message you’d like to share about the importance of paleontological research?
Dr. Luke Parry: I’d like to emphasize that paleontological research not only enriches our understanding of Earth’s history but also highlights the dynamic processes of life and extinction we face today. Learning about past biodiversity helps us appreciate our current ecosystems and can inform conservation efforts in the fight against climate change.
Time.news Editor: Thank you, Dr. Parry, for sharing your insights on this remarkable discovery. We look forward to following your research in the future.
Dr. Luke Parry: Thank you for having me! It’s been a pleasure.
