this post was submitted on 17 May 2025
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Paleontologists have discovered a three-eyed creature with a pencil sharpener-like mouth that roamed the sea for prey more than 500 million years ago.

The fossilized remains of one Mosura fentoni — nicknamed the "sea moth" — were found in the Burgess Shale of Canadian Rockies, presenting researchers with new insight into animal life in the Cambrian period, according to a paper published this week in the journal Royal Society Open Science.

The predator was about the length of an index finger, with three eyes dotting its head and a circular mouth lined with teeth, according to paleontologists at the Manitoba Museum and Royal Ontario Museum who made the discovery. The beast was also equipped with flaps on both sides of its body for swimming, and had intimidating claws extending from its head.

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[–] besselj@lemmy.ca 17 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

Sounds like a precursor to the "simple eyes" seen in invertebrates today https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simple_eye_in_invertebrates

Or parietal eyes in vertebrates https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parietal_eye

[–] mitchty@lemmy.sdf.org 11 points 1 week ago

Still retained in this lineage to this day. https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/what-is-dinosaur-shrimp-burning-man-2023-b2406326.html

You can even buy em as pets if you want.