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Young World

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Armoured worm

For almost 150 years, machaeridians were known only by some of their body parts and scientists have been mystified by these seemingly bizarre creatures. Finally a complete fossilised body of this extinct armoured worm has been found putting to rest many speculations about the kind of insect it was. The machaeridian has now been identified as a member of the annelid worm family that includes earthworms and leeches. They became extinct about 300 million years ago. These tiny insects (the fossil was only an inch long) have no backbone but have scales in rows along their back. The fossil, discovered by a graduate student Peter Van Roy in Morocco, contains soft body parts apart from its armour-like scales. Furry bristles and extensions that look like limbs confirmed that the insect belonged to the annelid family.

COMPLIED BY R. KRITHIKA

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Young World

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