The striking fossil is a newly identified species of arthropod, a distant relative of modern-day horseshoe crabs, scorpions, and spiders, that slightly resembles a modern-day shrimp. Named Lomankus edgecombei, the arthropod is a remarkably bright golden color because it’s preserved in three dimensions by iron pyrite — a mineral better known as fool’s gold. Lead study author Luke Parry began examining the fossils when he was a postdoctoral researcher at the Yale Peabody Museum, where three of the specimens were held. courtesy Luke Parry/Yu Liu/Ruixin RanToday, there are more known species of arthropod than any other group of animals on Earth. “Sometimes we see fossils preserved as opals or quartz crystals, or in this case, fool’s gold,” Brusatte said.

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Persons: it’s, Lomankus edgecombei, Greg Edgecombe, Luke Parry, Yu Liu, Ruixin, Parry, ” Parry, ‘, Steve Brusatte, ”, ” Brusatte, “ Organizations: CNN, Yale Peabody Museum, Yunnan University, paleobiology, University of Oxford, “, University of Edinburgh’s School of GeoSciences, Brusatte Locations: New York, Rome, China