Brontoscorpio

Taxobox
name = "Brontoscorpio"

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fossil_range = Silurian
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
subphylum = Chelicerata
classis = Arachnida
ordo = Scorpiones
familia = Eoscorpiidae
genus = "Brontoscorpio"
binomial = "Brontoscorpio anglicus"

"Brontoscorpio anglicus" ("English thunder scorpion") was a 1-metre long aquatic scorpion that lived during the Silurian period. When alive, "B. anglicus" would have resembled an oversized scorpion, albeit with relatively large (for a scorpion) compound eyes; it was an important predator of its time, given that the arthropods were among the largest animals on Earth during the Silurian.

uggested Ecology and Lifestyle

All post-Paleozoic scorpions are terrestrial, while during the Silurian many of the known taxa made the transition from aquatic to terrestrial environments. It has been inferred that "Brontoscorpio" was capable of leaving the water and entering land, whether to evade other predators, such as large nautiloids, eurypterids, or even other aquatic scorpions; or pursue prey, such as other, smaller terrestrial scorpions Fact|date=April 2008. However, given its great size, "B. anglicus" had to return to the water when it tired of supporting its own weight, or at the very least whenever it moulted its exoskeleton (on land, it would risk being crushed by its own mass) Fact|date=April 2008. Marine scorpions such as "B. anglicus" captured, stung, and ate small sea animals such as fish like acanthodians, heterostracans, smaller scorpions and trilobites Fact|date=April 2008.

Anatomy

As with other arachnids, such as modern scorpions, "Brontoscorpio" respired through gas exchange via pores in its exoskeleton and the inner linings of its book lungs Fact|date=April 2008. Its tail was tipped with a large, venomous stinger that was, according to "Walking with Monsters", the size of a light bulb Fact|date=April 2008.

Popular Culture

"Brontoscorpio" was featured in the first episode of the BBC TV series Walking With Monsters, where it is erroneously shown preying on the early armoured jawless fish "Cephalaspis", only to be attacked and eaten, in turn, by the enormous eurypterid "Pterygotus". Later, another group of these arthropods attack the migrating "Cephalaspis" as the jawless fish jump into their breeding pool. One "Brontoscorpio", however, has to moult its exoskeleton instead, even though (as was mentioned above) it's more likely that "Brontoscorpio" moulted its hard skin underwater instead.

It is highly unlikely that "B. anglicus" preyed on "Cephalaspis", as the latter is found only in early Devonian strata, and the former is found only in late Silurian strata. It is possible, however, that "B. anglicus" preyed on "Cephalaspis"' Silurian relatives, such as "Ateleaspis", "Procephalaspis", and "Tremataspis".

References

*Haines, Tim & Chambers, Paul. (2006) The Complete Guide to Prehistoric Life. Canada: Firefly Books Ltd.