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In Greenland, researchers have discovered a “giant” carnivorous worm: The worm is about 30 centimeters long, has a clear head with long blades and powerful jaws, as well as large fins on the side of its body. Fortunately, we no longer have to go around the corner to find it: the worm is now extinct.
The newly discovered species has been given a fitting name: Timorebestia, which means “terror beasts” in Latin. The recovered fossil remains are estimated to be around 518 million years old. The research shows this Timorebestia must have been one of the largest sea creatures during the early Cambrian period. The scientist Jakob Vinther was involved in the research. He says: “Timorebestia “We were the giants of their time, and it is therefore likely that they were at the top of the food chain.” The research was published in the journal Scientific advances.
Pearyland
For the research, the scientists traveled to Pearyland in the far north of Greenland. Here is an area known for the many scientific discoveries: Sirius Passet. Sirius Passet is a collection of sedimentary rocks that are exceptionally well preserved and produce many fossils of many different species. Furthermore, the fossils themselves are almost perfect. Tae Yoon Park is a fellow scientist who also contributed to the study. He says: “We are very happy that we found such unique hunting animals. During several expeditions to Sirius Passet we were able to identify several organisms. Thanks to the very special preservation in the area, we can learn more about anatomical details (of the organisms, editor’s note), such as the anatomy of the muscles, the nervous system and the digestive system.
food chain
The find is significant because it can tell scientists more about how food chains were structured in these very early times. For example, there was a swimming arthropod animal with that name in the same period Isoxys. For defensive purposes, this species had long spines on its back that pointed in all directions. However, researchers have found remains of it Isoxys in the digestive system of Timorebestia. His colleague Morten Lunde Nielsen also contributed to the research. He says, “We can see that Isoxys was a food source for many other animal species. They are very common on Sirius Passet and had long spines pointing in all directions to defend themselves. Yet we see that Timorebestia was hard on the hunt for them.”
In addition, the research is also very interesting from an evolutionary perspective. This is how the discovery came about Timorebestia Help explain why some tiny worms often have jaws. The scientists cite arrowworms as an example: tiny aquatic worms with hook-shaped teeth around their mouths that are often confused with plankton. Park concludes: “Our discovery provides greater certainty about how arrowworms have adapted. Arrowworms, for example, have a very special nerve center on their abdomen that is unique to them. We see the same nerve center again Timorebestia.” It could be that one of the largest and most dangerous hunting animals of the early Cambrian eventually became the favorite sea snack of many modern fish.
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