Giant Devonian Scorpion Praearcturus gigas Identified in Britain

Scientists have re‑examined fossils over a century old and re‑classified them as Praearcturus gigas, a Devonian scorpion that lived about 415 million years ago in what is now England and Wales. The analysis, using modern imaging and comparative anatomy, showed the animal measured more than one metre in length, making it the largest scorpion ever recorded by science. The specimen, held by the Natural History Museum in London, was originally described in 1871 and was long thought to be a giant crustacean until the new study clarified its arachnid features.

The discovery expands knowledge of early terrestrial predators and highlights how historic collections can yield new insights when examined with current techniques.