Is it the same size as a car? Well, a gigantic creature just like this one existed 340 million years ago.
Its discovery is now allowing us to see what the Arthropleura's head appears to be like.
Beforehand, scientists were only able to understand the approximate size of the creature's head from fossilised exoskeletons, but this did not provide any further insight into the facial structure of the Arthropleura.
This discovery has finally unraveled the enigma surrounding the relationship between this ancient arthropod and its modern counterparts, a puzzle which had long puzzled the scientific community.
The Arthropleura lived during the late Paleozoic era, roughly between 346 million and 290 million years ago, in equatorial forests.
In terms of size, this insect can grow up to an enormous 8.5 feet in length and weigh in excess of 45kg. While it shares many characteristics with millipedes, latest discoveries reveal that its head is more akin to that of a centipede.
In conjunction with the fossil study, the team also employed advanced CT scanning techniques to create a 3D model of the creature's head.
Scientists have since confirmed that the fossil evidence shows the head is round, possessing two short, bell-shaped antennae, as well as crab-like projecting eyes and a small mouth.
The creature's head also had an aperture through which it would shed its exoskeleton.
One of the study's co-authors, Mickael Lheritier, described the significance of this new finding, saying: "We found out the Arthropleura had a millipede's body but a centipede's head."
In the meantime, ancient two-inch-long fossils discovered in a French coal field in the 1980s have been examined using CT scans, meaning the researchers were able to study them without risking damage.
"It's been a long time since we've been curious about the appearance of this creature's head," said Dr James Lamsdell, a paleontologist not involved in the research.
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