A team of scientists detailed the fossil of an ancient scorpion that lived beneath the ocean's surface and was as large as a modern human.
According to The Associated Press, the fossil was discovered in 150 pieces at the bottom of the Upper Iowa River. Researchers published their analysis of the ancient fossil in the journal BMC Evolutionary Biology.
The researchers determined the fossil was 460 million years old and that the creature lived where Iowa is now when the region was under an ocean.
"The new species is incredibly bizarre. The shape of the paddle - the leg which it would use to swim - is unique, as is the shape of the head. It's also big - over a meter and a half long," study lead author James Lamsdell, of Yale University, said in a press release. "Perhaps most surprising is the fantastic way it is preserved - the exoskeleton is compressed on the rock but can be peeled off and studied under a microscope. This shows an amazing amount of detail, such as the patterns of small hairs on the legs. At times it seems like you are studying the shed skin of a modern animal - an incredibly exciting opportunity for any paleontologist."
The ancient sea scorpion likely grew up to five-and-a-half feet and was extra fearsome with a spiked tail and a dozen claw-like arms.
"This is the first real big predator," Lamsdell told The AP. "I wouldn't have wanted to be swimming with it. There's something about bugs. When they're a certain size, they shouldn't be allowed to get bigger."
