New arthropod species really stuck together
Fossilized chain formations reveal community behavior
Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 A new fossil find reveals that in an ancient arthropod species, no animal was an island.
The discovery of 525-million-year-old fossils belonging to a new species of arthropod shows that these animals formed communal chains never before seen in fossilized invertebrates, scientists report in the Oct. 10 Science.
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These arthropods, a phylum that includes lobsters, beetles and tarantulas, were found in sturdy chain configurations in southern China’s Chengjiang Lagerstätte, a treasure trove of fossils often compared to Canada’s Burgess Shale. In the chain formations, each animal faced the same way, with its tail latched onto the carapace of the individual behind. This unique fossil configuration provides evidence that these arthropods did not act as solitary beings, the authors report.