Study discovered millions years old dog-sized scorpion

Scorpion is probably one of the most feared animals to humans, since its small size and powerful sting tend to cause trouble for us. Its shape and appearence are also factors that make it a quite unique arachnid.

Which is why, especially for the people who have fear of scorpions, it would be very horrifying to imagine one with the size of a dog. But we can now say that it existed, specifically in China, 435 millions years ago.

This prehistoric arthropod is scientifically called Terropterus Xiushanensis, and it is discovered in a study which was given a place in the Science Bulletin journal on November 30.

Bo Wang, co-author of the study, gave information about this scorpion, highlighting one of its essential features; its limbs with stings. According to him, these were used primarily for catching its prey and they are similar to traps that are used by some spiders.

It is thought that this arachnid lived in Silurian age, approximately between 443,8-419,2 million years ago. In this time period the scorpions were likely to be expert predators underwater, trying to catch mainly fishes and moluscs off guard.

Another important thing that was discovered through this study and through other findings in China is that this scorpion lived in the Gondwana continent, which broke up later.