Ancient Marine Fossil Preserves Internal Organs Without Head Or Shell

Scientists have identified a <b>444-million-year-old</b> marine creature as a new species named <b>Keurbos susanae</b>, following exceptional research from the University of Leicester. Discovered in South Africa's Soom Shale, the fossil remarkably preserves internal muscles, tendons, and digestive remains in three dimensions. The specimen measures roughly <b>43 centimetres</b> in length and features a trunk with 46 segmented parts, though it lacks a head, legs, and most outer covering. This unusual preservation offers researchers rare insights into ancient arthropod anatomy during the Late Ordovician Period. University of Leicester palaeontologist Sarah Gabbott spent 25 years examining the fossil before formally naming it after her mother, Sue. Although its exact evolutionary branch remains uncertain, the discovery provides valuable data on ancient organisms that survived major environmental upheavals.