A professor has released information about an exceptionally rare “upside-down, limbless marvel” fossil dating back 444 million years, belonging to a newly identified species.
Professor Sarah Gabbott has spent 25 years examining an arthropod fossil since her discovery in a tiny quarry located in South Africa.
Her discoveries, released on Thursday, indicate that the finding is quite uncommon since most fossils showcase only an animal’s exterior characteristics, whereas Sue’s internal organs have been conserved.
Professor Gabbott discovered the fossil early in her career and decided to name it after her mother, Sue. Despite her hopes for finding another specimen in the following years, she was unsuccessful.
The scholar from the University of Leicester stated that she chose to eventually release her discoveries publicly after her mother commented that if she planned to name the fossil after her, she should “do it soon before she becomes a fossil herself.”
Sue was discovered in the Soom Shale, a layer of silt and clay located 250 miles north of Cape Town. This formation settled on the ocean floor over 440 million years ago, following an immense ice age that led to the extinction of approximately 85% of all life on Earth.
It is thought that the marine basin where the arthropod lived was somewhat shielded from the harshest effects of the freezing temperatures.
The deposits where Sue ended up settling were likewise poisonous, containing no oxygen and having hydrogen sulfide dissolved in the water. Researchers believe this environment may have contributed to her extraordinary inside-out state of preservation.
Nevertheless, it is challenging to compare her with other fossils from the same period because of the unique manner in which Sue was preserved.
Professor Gabbott, from the University’s School of Geography, Geology, and Environment, commented, “Sue is an enigma—legless, headless, yet full of surprises.”
Notably, her internal structures serve as a mineralized vault: muscles, ligaments, tendons, and even intestines are all conserved with unparalleled precision.
Despite its tough outer shell, the creature’s legs and head are absent — eroded away more than 440 million years ago.
We can confirm she was a primordial sea creature with jointed limbs, yet pinpointing her exact family tree continues to be maddeningly difficult.
The tiny quarry where the fossil was uncovered has largely vanished today, making it improbable for another specimen to be found there.
Professor Gabbott stated, “This research endeavor has been akin to an ultramarathon. Primarily due to the exceptional preservation of the fossil, which contains a wealth of anatomical details requiring interpretation.”
Level upon level of intricate details and complexities. I have always wished to discover new samples, yet after 25 years of exploration, this fossil appears incredibly scarce — thus, I must finally let go.
Recently, my mom told me, ‘Sarah, if you plan to name this fossil after me, you should hurry up before I end up in the ground and become fossilized myself.’
I jokingly tell my mom that I named the fossil Sue after her since she’s quite a well-preserved specimen.
However, in reality, I called her Sue because my mother often told me that I should pursue a profession that brings me joy — regardless of what it might be.
To me, it involves collecting rocks, discovering fossils, and attempting to understand their lifestyle as well as what they reveal about past life forms and evolutionary processes on our planet.
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