http://www.breitbart.com/...8rof0.html




Man-sized scorpion lived in Scotland

A scientist poring over 330-million-year-old tracks in a layer of sandstone in Scotland believes they were made by an extraordinary water scorpion that was as big as a man.

The huge six-legged creature was about 1.6 metres (64 inches) long and a metre (40 inches) wide, according to the study, published on Thursday in Nature, the weekly British science journal.

The trackway, measuring six metres (20 feet) long, was found on the overhang of a bed of sandstone that, 330 million years ago, was probably close to the sea and had the consistency of soft plaster.

The traces comprise crescent-shaped prints left by the creature's limbs and a sinuous curve believed to have been gouged out by its tail.

"The slow stilted progression, together with the dragging of the posterior, indicates that the animal was not buoyant and that it was probably moving out of the water," says Martin Whyte, a geography professor at Britain's University of Sheffield.

The find is unique, not just because of the gigantic size of the arthropod, but for the evidence it offers that this invertebrate species could survive out of water.

Until now, the only advanced creatures believed to have ventured onto land from the sea at that era were early tetrapods -- vertebrates with four limbs.

This isn't the first news I've heard about Scorpions rocking Scotland!!!

This reminds me of the film "The Black Scorpion."

Anxiety said:

I hate it when you out-wit me.

I'm getting my hubby a new pet emperor scorpion for Christmas...does that count?

(yes I'm serious...they're kinda cool and glow neon green under a blacklight)



royal edit
[Edited 11/30/05 12:09pm]

EskomoKisses said:

scorpions scare the crap out of me!

Anxiety said:

They used to bother me until we had a pair of them a while back. The female had babies once and it was one of the coolest things I have ever witnessed. These tiny little white/nearly clear scorpions came out of her chest and she carefully caught them and put them up on her back Unfortunately we couldn't keep the humidity up in the tank and they didn't make it through their 2nd molt

I am weird aren't I

EskomoKisses said:

I hate molting. It itches whenever I do.

ReturnOfDOOK said:

Is it any easier, now that you've had your stinger removed?

JediMaster said:

ReturnOfDOOK said:

\I love those cute jazzy/ballet shoes! with the tights, no less! How delicate and tender to wear that and call yourself a rock band!