Look at the ancient platypus crab - it can change the ideas of scientists about the evolution of crustaceans

Callichimaera perplexa was found in Colombia along with several thousand other fossil crustaceans.

The platypus crab has an appearance that is not typical for representatives of its species - it had large eyes without eye sockets and growths in the corners of the mouth that did not look like claws.

The study noted that the crab became the first known science floating arthropod with paddle-shaped legs.

"Callichimaera perplexa is so unique andstrange that it can be considered a new species of crab. We usually think of these arthropods as large animals with wide shells, strong claws, small eyes on long processes and a small tail hidden under the body. Our discovery challenges all these ideas and forces us to reconsider our definition of what traits make a crab a crab. ”

Javier Luque, lead author

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