An Ancient Penis Worm With Rings of Sharp Teeth Has Been Discovered in the Grand Canyon
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Summary
The Grand Canyon, which has yielded fossils dating back 500 million years, has given up another piece of evidence of ancient life with the discovery of a new species of penis worm.
Named Kraytdraco spectatus, the species is distinguished by the two rows of large teeth it sports on its phallus.
The teeth would have enabled the creature, which would have measured 15 to 20cm, to feed on algae and micro-organisms in the sand.
Although this species is new, penis worms are known to have existed alongside the dinosaurs, but their modern counterparts are much smaller, seldom reaching 2 to 3mm.
The discovery was made by a University of Cambridge student who was exploring the Bright Angel Formation, a thick band of shale alongside the Colorado River at the canyon’s base.
