Affiliation:
1. Department of Natural History (Palaeobiology), Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queen's Park, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 2C6
2. Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstrasse 43, Berlin 10115, Germany
Abstract
One of the oldest known fossil scorpions, a new species from the mid-Silurian Eramosa Formation (430 myr) of Ontario, Canada, exhibits several surprising features. The depositional environment and associated biota indicate a marine habitat; however, the leg morphology of this scorpion, which has a short tarsus in common with all Recent scorpions, suggests that a key adaptation for terrestrial locomotion, the ability to support its weight on a subterminal ‘foot’, appeared remarkably early in the scorpion fossil record. Specimens are preserved intact and undisturbed in a splayed posture typical of moults rather than carcasses. We postulate that these animals were aquatic, but occasionally ventured into extremely shallow water, or onto a transient subaerially exposed surface while moulting, before returning to deeper water. Shed exuviae were preserved
in situ
by rapid overgrowth of bacterial biofilm.
Subject
General Agricultural and Biological Sciences,Agricultural and Biological Sciences (miscellaneous)
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