愛污传媒

Skip to main content

Fossil of largest-ever millipede discovered in England

Researchers say Arthropleura is the largest arthropod in earth's history. The creature is estimated to have been 2.63 metres long and 55 centimetres wide, while weighing 50 kilograms. (Neil Daves) Researchers say Arthropleura is the largest arthropod in earth's history. The creature is estimated to have been 2.63 metres long and 55 centimetres wide, while weighing 50 kilograms. (Neil Daves)
Share
Vancouver -

Geologists in northern England have discovered the fossil of the largest-ever millipede in earth's history.

The creature -- called Arthropleura -- roamed Britain during the Carboniferous Period about 326 million years ago. Researchers estimate the creature would have been nearly three metres long when it was alive.

The researchers outlined their findings in a paper published in the on Tuesday. The fossil was first discovered in January 2018 after a block of sandstone fell from a cliff in Northumberland, England.

"It was a complete fluke of a discovery,鈥 lead author Neil Davies said in a news release. "The way the boulder had fallen, it had cracked open and perfectly exposed the fossil, which one of our former PhD students happened to spot when walking by.鈥

Researchers say Arthropleura is the largest arthropod in earth's history. The creature is estimated to have been 2.63 metres long and 55 centimetres wide, while weighing 50 kilograms.

It's also the third fossil of its kind. The other two Arthropleura fossils are both from Germany and are much smaller than the fossil segment found in England, which is 75 centimetres long.

鈥淔inding these giant millipede fossils is rare, because once they died, their bodies tend to disarticulate, so it鈥檚 likely that the fossil is a moulted carapace that the animal shed as it grew,鈥 said Davies.

Back in the Carboniferous period, Great Britain would've been located near the equator. The high levels of atmospheric oxygen during this period have been attributed to Arthropleura's large size.

The researchers say it's unclear what Arthropleura may have eaten, but they believe that the creature must've had a high-nutrient diet to reach such a large size.

鈥淲hile we can鈥檛 know for sure what they ate, there were plenty of nutritious nuts and seeds available in the leaf litter at the time, and they may even have been predators that fed off other invertebrates and even small vertebrates such as amphibians,鈥 said Davies.

Arthropleura went extinct during the Permian period between 252 to 298 million years ago. The causes of extinction are also unclear, but researchers speculate that it may have been due to climate change or competition for food from reptiles.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman in northeastern Ontario eight years ago. The former Hedley frontman had pleaded not guilty to sexual assault.

Police have arrested a Toronto woman in connection with three recent homicides and investigators say that they believe two of the victims may have been 'randomly targeted.'

The body of a British Columbia mountain climber has been located and recovered after the 39-year-old man was reported missing during a solo climb on Washington state's Mount Baker earlier this week.

A teen charged with the murder of another teen on Prince Edward Island last year has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter.

A Saskatchewan man living in the United States has pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography after he unknowingly provided disturbing videos to an FBI agent he thought was a pedophile.

Local Spotlight

Chantal Kreviazuk is set to return to Winnipeg to mark a major milestone in her illustrious musical career.

From the beaches of Cannes to the bustling streets of New York City, a new film by a trio of Manitoba directors has toured the international film festival circuit to much pomp and circumstance.

A husband and wife have been on the road trip of a lifetime and have decided to stop in Saskatchewan for the winter.

The grave of a previously unknown Canadian soldier has been identified as a man from Hayfield, Man. who fought in the First World War.

A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.

Moving into the second week of October, the eastern half of Canada can expect some brisker fall air to break down from the north

What does New Westminster's t蓹m蓹sew虛tx史 Aquatic and Community Centre have in common with a historic 68,000-seat stadium in Beijing, an NFL stadium and the aquatics venue for the Paris Olympics? They've all been named among the world's most beautiful sports venues for 2024.

The last living member of the legendary Vancouver Asahi baseball team, Kaye Kaminishi, died on Saturday, Sept. 28, surrounded by family. He was 102 years old.

New data from Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley shows a surge in supply and drop in demand in the region's historically hot real estate market.