Scientists uncover fossils of giant sea scorpions as large as humans, dating back 444 million years

Paleontologists have recently uncovered new evidence suggesting that these massive creatures, known as eurypterids, once inhabited what is now Australia. ( Representative Image: Canva)

Imagine a world where giant sea scorpions, some as large as adult humans, prowled the oceans. This is not the plot of a science fiction novel but a reality from Earth’s distant past. Paleontologists have recently uncovered new evidence suggesting that these massive creatures, known as eurypterids, once inhabited what is now Australia.

A collaborative team of researchers from the American Museum of Natural History, the Australian Museum Research Institute, and the WB Clarke Geoscience Centre in Australia have detailed their findings in the journal Gondwana Research. Their study sheds light on the presence of pterygotid eurypterids during the Silurian and Devonian periods in New South Wales. These ancient arthropods, which thrived around 444 million years ago, eventually disappeared from the fossil record roughly 393 million years ago, likely due to significant environmental changes.

Illustration of the studied Australian eurypterids and the paleobiogeographic spread of pterygotid eurypterids during the Silurian and Devonian periods. (Image: Gondwana Research, 2024)

The research team’s work involved carefully examining rock formations in New South Wales, where they discovered fossils that point to the existence of these sea scorpions in the region. Among their findings were two new examples of pterygotid eurypterids—one from the Silurian era, which spanned from 443.8 to 419.2 million years ago, and the other from the Devonian era, lasting from 419.2 to 358.9 million years ago. Most of the fossils unearthed were fragments of exoskeletons, with one specimen identified as a Pterygotus, a member of the group. The team also found evidence of Jaekelopterus, the largest known species of sea scorpion.

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These discoveries add to the growing body of evidence that eurypterids once roamed the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana. The researchers suggest that the nearly identical fossils found in different regions indicate that these sea scorpions were capable of navigating vast oceanic distances, likely covering thousands of kilometres. The sheer size of these creatures may have aided their ability to migrate across oceans, but it is also possible that the need to migrate influenced their enormous size.

Despite their dominance millions of years ago, these giant scorpions vanished, leaving behind only traces of their existence. Scientists believe that changes in climate and environmental conditions likely led to their extinction, though the exact cause remains a mystery. Researchers are hopeful that future studies will provide more answers about why these remarkable creatures disappeared from Earth’s oceans.