Paleontologists have discovered fossils of a new ancient species, Lomankus edgecombei, in central New York. (Yale University)
Paleontologists have identified fossils of an ancient insect species that for the past 450 million years were covered in layers of fool’s gold in central New York.
This new species, Lomankus edgecombei, is a distant relative of modern horseshoe crabs, scorpions and spiders. These insects have no eyes, and their small front limbs are well suited for scavenging dark ocean sediments, when the area that is now New York state was once covered in water.
Lomankus is also a bright gold color. This gold color is not just for looks. Pyrite found in a fossil-rich area near Rome, New York, known as “Beecher’s Bed,” helps preserve fossils by replacing the soft tissue of Lomancus before it decays.
“These extraordinary fossils show how pyrite quickly replaced delicate anatomical features before decay, which is a hallmark of Beecher’s Bed, and preserve important evidence of the evolution of life in the oceans 450 million years ago,” said Derek Briggs, Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Yale School of Arts and Sciences.
Briggs is one of the authors of a new study in Current Biology that describes this species. He is also a curator at Yale’s Peabody Museum.
Briggs and his colleagues say Lomankus, which belongs to a group of extinct arthropods called Megacheira, has evolutionary significance in several ways.
Like other Megacheira, Lomankus is an example of an arthropod with an adaptable head and specialized limbs (scorpion claws and spider fangs are other examples). In Lomancus, the forelimbs have three long, flexible, whip-like flagella, which may be used to sense the surrounding environment and detect food.
“Arthropods typically have one or more pairs of legs on the front of their bodies that are modified for specialized functions such as sensing the environment and capturing prey,” said Luke Parry, a former Yale postdoctoral researcher who is now a professor at Oxford University, and one of the study’s lead authors. . “These specialized legs make them highly adaptive, much like a Swiss knife in biological form.”
Additionally, Lomankus fossils show Megacheira continued to evolve and diversify for longer than previously thought. Lomankus is one of the Megacheira known to have survived through the Cambrian Period (485 to 541 million years ago) and into the Ordovician Period (443 to 485 million years ago). Paleontologists believe Megacheira was largely extinct by the start of the Ordovician Period.
The new Lomankus fossil also has some ties to Yale’s paleontological efforts that span more than a century.
The location where the fossils were discovered, Beecher’s Bed, is named for Charles Emerson Beecher, who directed Yale’s Peabody Museum from 1899 to 1904. Beecher published classic writings on the anatomy and relationships of trilobites from the location, and these materials were studied and developed by other scientists for generations .
Briggs is one of them. His first paper on the Beecher’s Bed fossils was published in 1991, and as curator of invertebrate paleontology at Peabody in the early 2000s, he arranged for Yale to rent the site for field studies until 2009.
Paleontologist Yu Liu of Yunnan University in China, who is also the lead author of the study, contacted Briggs about the new fossil from Beecher’s Bed, which he had acquired from a Chinese fossil collector. Briggs then brought in Parry, his former postdoc, who had collaborated with him on research on similar fossils at Peabody.
“The preservation is incredible,” Briggs said. “The density of the pyrites contrasts with the mudstone in which they are buried. Details were extracted based on computed tomography (CT) scans, which gave us 3D images of the fossils.” This new fossil specimen has been donated to Peabody. (sciencedaily/Z-3)
Unveiling the Past: Meet Lomankus Edgecombei, Everyone’s Favorite Ancient Insect!
Hold onto your hard hats, folks! Paleontologists have struck gold—or rather, fool’s gold—just a short drive from your quaint coffee shop in central New York. Yes, those ancient insects have been living their best lives under layers of pyrite for a cool 450 million years. It’s like the world’s longest-running treasure hunt, and they’ve tucked themselves away, only to emerge now as the bafflingly named Lomankus edgecombei.
The Eye-less Wonders of New York
So what exactly is Lomankus edgecombei? Imagine a bug so old that it predates the dinosaurs—back when the region was covered by oceans, and nobody had to deal with traffic jams, existential crises, or those awful “One-Click Checkout” experiences. This little insect is a distant cousin to horseshoe crabs, spiders, and scorpions. And get this: it has no eyes! That’s right, folks—this ancient marvel is living proof that sometimes, ignorance is bliss.
Gold Isn’t Just for Jewelry
One might wonder, “What’s with the bright gold color?” Sadly, it’s not a designer item but pyrite, also cheekily known as fool’s gold, making our Lomankus a bit of a trickster. Discovered in the famous “Beecher’s Bed”—which, let’s be honest, sounds like a really posh daycare for fossils—this sparkling coating played an essential role. It helped preserve the soft tissues before they could spoil, like that leftover takeout that could have fed a small village.
The Swiss Army Bug of the Past
But wait, there’s more! According to Derek Briggs, a paleontologist who is clearly having too much fun with his job, Lomankus is dripping with evolutionary significance. These creatures had adaptable heads and specialized limbs—think of them as the Swiss Army knife of the Aptly Named Insects. Their forelimbs, adorned with long, flexible, whip-like flagella, probably made them the ultimate ocean scavengers, navigating the deep dark waters to dig out whatever fish decided to throw a wild ocean party.
A Blast from the Past
Lomankus isn’t just any fossil, mind you; this insect represents a lineage that thrives far longer than most arthropods. They elegantly glided through the waters of the Cambrian Period (that’s 485 to 541 million years ago for those counting) and into the Ordovician Period—surviving longer than your last bad haircut!
A Legacy in Fossils
Speaking of long-lasting, let’s take a moment to appreciate the history surrounding Beecher’s Bed. Named after Charles Emerson Beecher, a bloke who ran Yale’s Peabody Museum back in the glorious days of the early 1900s, this site has birthed countless discoveries. One could say it’s the “Ben & Jerry’s” of fossil locations—each scoop bringing something rich and exciting!
The Incredible Preservation Process
Get this: the preservation of these fossils is truly “incog-nutty!” Thanks to 3D imaging via computed tomography (CT scans), paleontologists are now diving into the details as if they were on a high-tech archaeological episode of “CSI: Fossil Edition.” The Lomankus specimens have been loaned to Yale’s Peabody Museum, where they can continue to entertain researchers for as long as they don’t get too attached!
Final Thoughts
So, dear readers, next time you find yourself in New York dreaming of ancient seas and creatures, remember the eye-less, armored, pyrite-clad beauty of Lomankus edgecombei. It’s not just an insect; it’s a brilliant, shimmering piece of history, a conversation starter at your next dinner party (if you can get anyone to stop scrolling through their smartphones long enough to listen!).
Paleontologists have made a groundbreaking discovery, identifying fossils of a newly classified ancient insect species known as Lomankus edgecombei, within the geological strata of central New York, an area once submerged beneath ancient oceans.
This remarkable species, a distant relative of modern horseshoe crabs, scorpions, and spiders, reveals intriguing adaptations: lacking eyes, Lomankus possesses small front limbs tailored for scavenging through the dark ocean sediments that typified the prehistory of what is now New York state.
Notably, Lomankus exhibits a striking gold coloration. This vivid hue is not merely ornamental; it is a result of pyrite—often referred to as fool’s gold—which is prevalent in a fossil-rich area near Rome, New York, famously known as “Beecher’s Bed.” Pyrite replaces the soft tissues of these ancient creatures, effectively preserving them before decomposition sets in.
“These extraordinary fossils show how pyrite quickly replaced delicate anatomical features before decay, which is a hallmark of Beecher’s Bed, and preserve important evidence of the evolution of life in the oceans 450 million years ago,” said Derek Briggs, Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Yale School of Arts and Sciences, and a co-author of the research published in Current Biology.
Briggs, who also serves as a curator at Yale’s Peabody Museum, and his team emphasize that Lomankus, classified within the extinct arthropod group known as Megacheira, holds significant evolutionary importance. Like its relatives, Lomankus showcases a versatile head and specialized limbs that echo adaptations seen in scorpion claws and spider fangs.
Moreover, fossils of Lomankus indicate that the Megacheira group continued to evolve and diversify for a period longer than previously believed. This species is among the Megacheira identified to have persisted through both the Cambrian Period (485 to 541 million years ago) and into the Ordovician Period (443 to 485 million years ago) when paleontologists had thought most Megacheira had already vanished.
The newly discovered Lomankus fossils are intricately tied to over a century of paleontological research at Yale University. The discovery site, Beecher’s Bed, honors Charles Emerson Beecher, who led Yale’s Peabody Museum from 1899 to 1904 and made significant contributions to our understanding of trilobite anatomy through classic publications.
Paleontologist Yu Liu of Yunnan University in China, a key author of the study, contacted Briggs regarding the new fossil from Beecher’s Bed, which Liu had obtained from a fossil collector. Briggs involved Luke Parry, a former postdoctoral researcher, to further examine this significant find.
“The preservation is incredible,” Briggs said, highlighting the dense pyrite that contrasts sharply with the surrounding mudstone. Advanced computed tomography (CT) scans enabled the research team to extract meticulous details, generating 3D images of these extraordinary fossils. The newly uncovered specimen has been graciously donated to Yale’s Peabody Museum for further study.
