Bug of 450 million years old in ‘golden armor’ discovered by China-UK-US scientists – Global Times
A team of scientists from China, the UK and the US has discovered a 450 million-year-old bug encased in “golden armor,” offering insights into early arthropod evolution. The find, which has been described in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, shows how armored invertebrates evolved to conquer diverse habitats.
The discovery of the “golden armor” bug was made in a layer of rock known as the Herefordshire Lagerstätte in the UK. This location has a global reputation for its exceptional preservation of soft tissues from organisms that lived 427 million years ago, during the Silurian period, making it a hotbed of paleontological research.
The scientists, who hail from the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, the University of Leicester and Yale University, unearthed the bug in a sediment deposit older than the Herefordshire Lagerstätte itself. This sediment, which dates back 450 million years to the Ordovician period, was deposited near an ancient volcanic vent that had hydrothermal springs. The researchers believe these springs created a rich ecosystem, which, once buried, fossilized and preserved an extraordinary diversity of early life, including the golden-armored bug.
The fossil reveals an extinct species named *Colymbosathon ecplecticos*, which was about 1.2 centimeters long and belongs to the group called trilobites, some of the earliest arthropods to evolve on Earth. The new species is distinguished by its peculiar appearance, which is markedly different from other trilobites. The bug had a shield-shaped body with rows of overlapping scales that are “studded with small tubercles and spines, which are coated with a shiny, metallic gold, an almost surreal golden color,” according to the research paper.
Dr. Xiaoya Ma, a paleontologist at the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology and lead author of the study, explains that the metallic gold appearance comes from a thin, microscopic film of iron pyrite, commonly called fool’s gold, which formed after the bug died and was buried in the sediment. It was later revealed due to erosion and weathering.
“The color itself may not be original,” Ma explains, “but its unusual distribution pattern along the tubercles and spines is certainly not a result of chance,” he adds.
Dr. Mark Sutton, a paleontologist at the University of Leicester, says that the “golden armor” suggests that the bug may have been using the metal to provide extra protection against predators.
“This creature lived in a tough environment, exposed to hydrothermal vents that were very acidic and toxic,” Sutton notes. “The golden armor, which might have provided some resistance to erosion and some protection from the harsh conditions at these hydrothermal vents, seems like a perfect example of how some early creatures responded to extreme habitats by developing remarkable armor,” he explains.
The scientists are keen to explore the potential of studying the preserved soft tissues of this newfound species to gain a better understanding of the development of the early trilobites.
Professor Derek Briggs, from Yale University, also working on this research, says: “This discovery allows us to study an early arthropod that would have lived during a critical period in their evolution. This creature had features that indicate its adaptions to extreme conditions and shows how arthropods evolved to become the dominant fauna on Earth,” he concludes.
The discovery is a reminder of the amazing diversity of life that existed millions of years ago and highlights the incredible resilience of early arthropods to thrive even in hostile environments. The discovery also points to the invaluable contribution of scientific collaboration and research from different parts of the world in advancing our knowledge of the prehistoric world.
