Gigantoscorpio

Ji-gan-toe-skor-pe-oh.
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Cassidy Wood

Paleoentomologist

Cassidy Wood uncovers the tiny yet significant world of prehistoric insects. Her research on amber-preserved specimens has revealed intricate details about ancient ecosystems.

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Name

Gigantoscorpio ‭(‬Giant scorpion‭)‬.

Phonetic

Ji-gan-toe-skor-pe-oh.

Named By

Leif St�rmer‭ ‬-‭ ‬1963.

Classification

Arthropoda,‭ ‬Chelicerata,‭ ‬Arachnida,‭ ‬Scorpiones,‭ ‬Holosternina,‭ ‬Gigantoscorpionoidea,‭ ‬Gigantoscorpionidae.

Diet

Insectivore.

Species

G.‭ ‬willsi‭

Size

Details unavailable.

Known locations

Scotland‭ ‬-‭ ‬Glencartholm Volcanic Beds Formation.

Time Period

Vis�an/Serpukhovian of the Carboniferous.

Fossil representation

Partial remains of at least two individuals.

In Depth

       Gigantoscorpio is a genus of scorpion known to have lived in Scotland during the Carboniferous period.‭ ‬Because the genus is known only from partial remains,‭ ‬full details about its size and body proportions are currently unavailable.‭ ‬However,‭ ‬the genus has been occasionally estimated to have been as much as ninety centimetres long,‭ ‬which would make it big,‭ ‬even for the Carboniferous.‭ ‬During this period many arthropods similar to todays in form grew substantially bigger,‭ ‬with the main theory to explain this being that the atmosphere had a much higher oxygen content during the Carboniferous which allowed these kinds of animals to grow bigger.‭ ‬Many types of animal were known,‭ ‬and one genus of scorpion called Pulmonoscorpius also lived in Scotland at the same approximate time as Gigantoscorpio,‭ ‬and Pulmonoscorpius is thought to‭ ‬have grown up to‭ ‬70‭ ‬centimetres in length‭ (‬head to tip of the telson‭)‬.

Further Reading

-‭ ‬Gigantoscorpio Willsi‭‬:‭ ‬A new scorpion from the Lower Carboniferous of Scotland and its associated preying microorganisms‭ ‬-‭ ‬Oslo University Press‭ ‬-‭ ‬Leif St�rmer‭ ‬-‭ ‬1963. -‭ ‬On some micro-organisms associated with the scorpion Gigantoscorpio Willsi St�rmer‭ ‬-‭ ‬Oslo University Press‭ ‬-‭ ‬L.R.‭ ‬Moore‭ ‬-‭ ‬1963.

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT

varanus priscus a.k.a Megalania