3D laser scan of the specimen, Uncus dzaugisi Mary L. Droser
A worm-like creature preserved in ancient rock has just been identified as the oldest known relative of insects, spiders and crustaceans.
The ecdysozoans are a group of invertebrate animals with a tough outer coating, or cuticle, that they moult as they grow. It is clearly a successful evolutionary strategy, because today the group contains millions of species. “Some estimates suggest that about half of all known animal species are ecdysozoans,” says at Harvard University. All arthropods – including insects and spiders – belong to the group, and so do …
