What is Pterygotus?
{{italictitle}} [[File:Pterygotus anglicus reconstruction.jpg|thumb|250px|Restoration of a subadult ''Pterygotus anglicus''.]] '''''Pterygotus''''' is an [[extinct]] [[eurypterid]], related to [[arachnids]] and commonly called as the famous sea scorpions. It lived in the [[Silurian]] and [[Devonian]] periods. Fossils have been found in [[North America]], [[South America]], [[Europe]] and [[Australia]]. It is related to the larger eurypterid ''[[Jaekelopterus]],'' which also lived during the Silurian and Devonian. It is similar to the freshwater creature ''[[Slimonia]]''. ''Pterygotus'' could reach a body length of 16 meters long.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Brady | first1 = Simon J. | last2 = Poschmann | first2 = Markus | last3 = Tetlie | first3 = O. Erik | title = Giant claw reveals the largest ever arthropod | journal = [[Biology Letters]] | date = 2008 | volume = 4 | issue = 1 | page = 108 | doi = 10.1098/rsbl.2007.0491 | pmid = 18029297 | pmc = 2412931 }}</ref> It had a pair of large [[compound eye]]s. It also had another pair of smaller eyes in the center of its head. It had 4 pairs of walking legs. A fifth pair of legs were swimming paddles. It also had a pair of large [[pincer]]s. ==References== {{reflist}} [[Category:Chelicerata]] [[Category:Extinct species]]