Sollasina cthulhu, a new transitional fossil on the sea cucumber stem

[Halichoeres]

A new paper describes Sollasina cthulhu, a many-tentacled echinoderm whose specific epithet honors the many-tentacled Cthulhu. It shows traits of both standard echinoderms and elongate sea cucumbers, helping to show the order in which some of the peculiarities of sea cucumbers evolved.

CT scans:


and a reconstruction:


Paper appears to be open access but I can get you a pdf if not: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2018.2792

[Faelrin]

I feel like the species name works for this one this time. Just looking at it and I'm already thinking yikes, just imagining how it would move. I mean I have watched sea urchins at my local fish store at times I've been there and they've had them, and it's kind of unnerving watching them move (well at least for me). In any case, it does seem like quite an important find, with a rather well preserved fossil.

[Halichoeres]

I feel like the species name works for this one this time. Just looking at it and I'm already thinking yikes, just imagining how it would move. I mean I have watched sea urchins at my local fish store at times I've been there and they've had them, and it's kind of unnerving watching them move (well at least for me). In any case, it does seem like quite an important find, with a rather well preserved fossil.

Ever watch one evert its intestines? That is unnerving.

[Faelrin]

@Halichoeres No, actually. Ah, that sounds much worse.