'Three-eyed' sea predator from 500 million years ago discovered in Canada

Ancient ‘Sea Moth’ With Three Eyes Found in Canada’s Rocks (Image: AI generated)

It’s not every day that science uncovers an ocean oddity from over 500 million years ago. But that’s exactly what happened when researchers came across a tiny, three-eyed predator that once glided through ancient seas.

Strange swimmer from the Cambrian ocean

Called Mosura fentoni, this small sea creature swam in Earth’s oceans around 506 million years ago. The discovery was detailed in a new study published on 13 May in Royal Society Open Science.

Nicknamed the “sea moth”, the predator belonged to radiodonts—an early group of arthropods. These creatures are distant relatives of modern insects, spiders and crabs. The fossil was found in Canada and shows the animal had a strange trunk with 16 segments and gills. This feature helped it breathe better and looks similar to body parts in horseshoe crabs and woodlice.

According to experts, Mosura fentoni may have evolved in a way like some modern sea creatures. The fossil proves that marine life was already adapting and branching out at an early stage.

A body like no animal alive today

No animal alive today resembles Mosura fentoni. It had two jointed claws and a third eye in the centre of its head. Scientists believe it used flaps on its body to glide underwater like a stingray.

“It probably swam like a ray, moving its flaps up and down like it was flying underwater,” said Dr Joe Moysiuk of the Manitoba Museum. “Its mouth looked like a pencil sharpener with rows of sharp plates.”

Only as big as a human finger, the creature reminded scientists of a moth—hence the nickname. Its forked claws were likely used to catch tiny prey and guide it towards its sharp mouth.

“It’s still a bit of a mystery how exactly it hunted,” said Moysiuk. “But we think it grabbed small animals using the spiny tips of its claws.”

Unlocking secrets of ancient marine life

Mosura fentoni may have fed on worms and small crustaceans. At the same time, it might have been preyed on by larger jellyfish-like sea animals.

Its unique body structure, especially the trunk-like feature, gives scientists clues about how complex sea creatures evolved from simpler forms. According to co-author Dr Jean-Bernard Caron, the discovery adds to what we know about ancient biodiversity.

“These arthropods were already very diverse and evolving in ways that reflect their modern relatives,” Caron told CNN.

By studying Mosura fentoni, experts hope to better understand how early marine ecosystems functioned and how life in the ocean took shape millions of years ago.