Before dinosaurs, sea 'scorpion' was Earth’s first big predatory monster

By Seth Borenstein ASSOCIATED PRESS SEPTEMBER 01, 2015

WASHINGTON — Earth’s first big predatory monster was a weird water bug as big as Tom Cruise, newly found fossils show.

Almost half a billion years ago, way before the dinosaurs roamed, Earth’s dominant large predator was a sea scorpion that grew to 5 feet 7 inches, with a dozen claw arms sprouting from its head and a spike tail, according to a new study.

PATRICK J. LYNCH/YALE UNIVERSITY VIA ASSOCIATED PRESS

Scientists said the sea scorpions were Earth’s dominant large predator long before dinosaurs.