Remnants of prehistoric marine worm unearthed in Herefordshire – Guardian

An stale worm unearthed in Herefordshire became as soon as a carnivorous predator that shoved its throat out to receive and spend prey, in accordance with scientists.

The creature, named Radnorscolex latus, became as soon as found at a disused Victorian quarry issue in the village of Leintwardine, shut to the Welsh border.

This marine worm is believed to beget lived on the ocean floor about 425m years ago, when the blueprint became as soon as below water. Analysis suggests it had a retractable throat that may possibly lengthen out on to the seabed to capture prey hidden within the sediment.

In line with Dr Richie Howard, curator of fossil arthropods on the Natural History Museum, Radnorscolex is paying homage to large worms in the Hollywood blockbuster Dune.

Howard talked about: “We deem they weren’t too picky when it came to feeding and seemingly factual shoved their throat out into the mud and grabbed the rest they are able to receive.

“They with out a doubt make you suspect of the sandworms in Dune in that respect.”

Though fossil stays of Radnorscolex had been first found a century ago, the skills became as soon as no longer superior ample to allow palaeontologists to gaze these in powerful ingredient.

Consultants from the Natural History Museum in London feeble cutting-edge work imaging ways to analyse the remnants.

Findings confirmed Radnorscolex had rows of sharp enamel and hooks on its head, which it would beget feeble to anchor itself to the floor and whisk its body forward to switch.

Despite being a predator, diagnosis suggests the creature handiest grew to be about 8cm prolonged.

The researchers talked about Radnorscolex belongs to a workers of extinct worm-fancy animals is known as Palaeoscolecids, that beget been worn out totally about 400m years ago because of fast climate and sea degree switch.

The findings are published in the journal Papers in Palaeontology.