Phallus-shaped fossils identified as new species

Post Reply
User avatar
cronus
Black Market Analyst
Posts: 18122
Joined: Thu Oct 11, 2012 7:09 pm
About me: Illis quos amo deserviam
Location: United Kingdom
Contact:

Phallus-shaped fossils identified as new species

Post by cronus » Thu Mar 14, 2013 11:29 am

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/21745029

Phallus-shaped fossils identified as new species

Scientists have revealed insights into a peculiar, phallus-shaped creature discovered at a fossil site in Canada.

The animal has been identified as Spartobranchus tenuis, a species from the Cambrian period that was previously unknown to science.

The odd-looking creature was an ancient relative of acorn worms that exist today, according to researchers.

Their study, published in the journal Nature, is the first full description of the prehistoric animal.

Remains of soft-bodied worms were found in the Burgess Shale fossil beds in Yoho National Park, British Columbia, Canada throughout the last century.

But now researchers studying the 505 million years old fossils have for the first time given a detailed insight into the lives of the bizarre beasts.

The prehistoric marine creatures were around the size of an earthworm, "but unlike an earthworm that's segmented from its front end to its back end, these guys just had three distinct body segments," said research team member Dr Christopher Cameron from the University of Montreal, Canada.

The animals' phallus-shaped anatomy consisted of a head, or "muscular proboscis", in front of a short "collar" and ended with "a posterior kind of long wormy tail which has gill slits", Dr Cameron explained. The body ended in a bulbous structure which may have helped it anchor to the sea bed.

(continued)
What will the world be like after its ruler is removed?

User avatar
JacksSmirkingRevenge
Grand Wazoo
Posts: 13511
Joined: Thu Feb 26, 2009 6:56 pm
About me: Half man - half yak.
Location: Perfidious Albion
Contact:

Re: Phallus-shaped fossils identified as new species

Post by JacksSmirkingRevenge » Thu Mar 14, 2013 5:45 pm

PREHISTORIC DICKWORMS!!!!1!! :panic:
Sent from my Interositor using Twatatalk.

User avatar
JimC
The sentimental bloke
Posts: 73014
Joined: Thu Feb 26, 2009 7:58 am
About me: To be serious about gin requires years of dedicated research.
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Contact:

Re: Phallus-shaped fossils identified as new species

Post by JimC » Fri Mar 15, 2013 10:12 am

Here's hoping the interpretation is not fallacious...
Nurse, where the fuck's my cardigan?
And my gin!

User avatar
Jason
Destroyer of words
Posts: 17782
Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2011 12:46 pm
Contact:

Re: Phallus-shaped fossils identified as new species

Post by Jason » Fri Mar 15, 2013 5:30 pm

Paleontologists are always so cocksure.

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 7 guests