518-million-year-old carnivorous worm fossil discovered

Scientists have discovered a carnivorous worm fossil dating back approximately 518 million years.

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518-million-year-old carnivorous worm fossil discovered

According to a report by New Atlas, researchers from the University of Bristol believe that the worm, dubbed "Timorebestia" or "terror beast," was among the first carnivorous creatures to live in water.

The approximately 518-million-year-old worm fossils found in the North Greenland region revealed that Timorebestia reached 30 centimeters in length and possessed fins, a large jaw, and long antennae. The researchers highlighted that the closest relative of the worm, the "Chaetognath," is less than 1 centimeter long.

Stating that Timorebestia was very close to the top of the food chain during its time, the researchers noted that the worm in question could shed light on the evolutionary process of arrow worms.

HYPOTHESIS THAT ORGANISMS ARE RELATED GAINS IMPORTANCE

Researcher Jakob Vinther stated that it was previously thought that the dominant predators of the Cambrian period were primitive arthropods, adding, "With this newly discovered worm, we have seen that rod-shaped, planktonic marine invertebrates also included predatory animal varieties."

Researcher Tae Yoon Park remarked, "The presence of a ventral nerve ganglion in both Timorebestia and Amiskwia, which is seen today only in the bellies of arrow worms, gives importance to the hypothesis that these organisms are related to one another."

The research was published in the journal "Science Advances."

News Source: AA