http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071121/ap_on_sc/biggest_bug_ever
Please read all the information on it before you give me your opinion.
2007-11-21 01:11:14 · 10 answers · asked by layanne1 4 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
i think that it is pretty cool that we found a huge bug taller than the average man
2007-11-21 02:57:36 · answer #1 · answered by Crazy_Jay 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
While Jaekelaopterus, the critter described in this article may have reached 2.5 m in length (based on the size of its claw), the closely related Pterygotus is known from more complete fossils, and was probably slightly larger - at 2.8 m.
It's important to remember that these critters, known as Eurypterids, or sea scorpions, lived in the ocean - which helps arthropods reach larger sizes because they don't have to fight gravity as much. Also, most known Eurypterids are less than a foot long, they weren't all that huge.
The group went extinct in the mid-Devonian, about the same time as the first amphibians were moving up on land. There wasn't much competition for the position of top marine predator - there were no mosasaurs, plesiosaurs, or giant sharks about at the time. Some of the large arthrodire fishes were much larger though - like the famous Dinichthys (aka Dunkleosteus).
My opinion is that they are very cool.
The BBC 'Walking with..." series has some very cool looking reconstructions of these critters.
2007-11-21 01:46:42 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
What I find most interesting is the smaller size evolution that is speculated to occur. If dinosaurs were not killed off by an asteroid, they might be a planet full of them more like current mammals in size. I do have a problem calling something 8 foot long a bug.
2007-11-21 03:32:08 · answer #3 · answered by paul 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Beleive it or not, giant insects did thrive millions of years ago. Back in the Carboniferous era, the great amount of oxygen in the atmosphere caused the insects to grow big. Also, it was in a hot and humid environment all year around, so instead of the insects living for a short period of time, they could grow bigger and bigger. Plus, the giant fern trees gave off plenty of oxygen.
2007-11-21 05:21:55 · answer #4 · answered by Wendy G 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Pretty amazing but not surprising!
Living creatures that existed million of years ago, are mostly HUGE. Such discovery is just one of the proofs that many creatures long ago are large in size. Different stages of evolution made the sizes far smaller than what they had been.
2007-11-21 01:49:47 · answer #5 · answered by ♥ lani s 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
whilst i grew to become into studying my ancestors by kin tree on line, i presumed i could seek for some great grandparents in Sayre, Pennsylvania. think of my marvel whilst i grew to become into reading an previous County historical past from the 1800's and in there grew to become into an account of massive human bones that have been unearthed via a interior of reach farmer. They have been examined via city scientific professional and the comprehensive interior of reach inhabitants, and not one among them doubted the authenticity of them as human skeletons. They have been, i think, 9 ft tall. Indian tribes in the Northeast generally instructed thoughts of an unique people who lived there who have been of great top, 9 to 12 ft tall. In Ohio, in the Mounds have been got here across great skeletons. There are debts everywhere in the US of farmers digging up very tall human beings. a pair of those unearths have been lively away to the Smithsonian which grew to become right into a clean enterprise in those days, yet in no way publicly displayed returned. seek for the County checklist of Sayre, Pa. and study it for your self. It grew to become into compiled in the late 1800's however the skeletons have been got here across in the previous. It provides the call of the farmer who got here across them, and the scientific professional who examined them.
2016-11-12 07:24:28 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
While it certainly may be true, it may also be too early for scientists to know anything for sure.
It may just be a reporter looking for a good shocker story by making theories about the fossil appear to be facts.
2007-11-21 01:43:34 · answer #7 · answered by Megan 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
The concentration of oxygen in the atmosphere was higher back then so I'm not surprised
2007-11-21 01:14:43 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think it is really cool. Science is amazing. Life on this planet is amazing. So much variety. Even millions of years ago.
2007-11-21 02:24:20 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I hope it will exist in world .. haha
2007-11-21 02:55:51 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋