Researchers Discover Giant Scorpion Comparable to Dog Size

WHO:

ScienceAlert - Researchers from the UK, led by paleontologist Richie Howard from the Natural History Museum.

Yahoo - Paleontologist Greg Edgecombe from the Natural History Museum in the UK.

WHAT:

ScienceAlert - Researchers confirmed the identity of Praearcturus gigas as potentially the largest known scorpion in history.

Yahoo - Praearcturus gigas measured more than a meter (3.3 feet) in length.

ScienceAlert - Estimated length of the scorpion's pincers was 16 centimeters (6.3 inches).

Yahoo - The researchers suggest that P. gigas may have survived for another 40 million years after the time period of the fossils.

WHERE:

ScienceAlert - Fossils were first discovered in the UK in 1870.

Yahoo - Some fossils were found in Wales.

WHEN:

ScienceAlert - The fossils date back to the Early Devonian period, approximately 415 million years ago.

Yahoo - Fossils from Canada studied in 2015 were referenced in the research.

WHY:

ScienceAlert - The size of P. gigas may have been due to the absence of large predators, allowing it to dominate its environment.

Yahoo - The research provides insights into the early history of life on land, when it was covered with small plants and fungi.

HOW:

ScienceAlert - The analysis involved new camera lucida tracings, computed tomography scans, and comparisons to other fossils.

Yahoo - The researchers used anatomy comparisons to evidence that P. gigas is indeed a scorpion.

(UPDATED June 9, 2026 23:25 UTC)

Researchers from the UK, led by paleontologist Richie Howard from the Natural History Museum, have confirmed that Praearcturus gigas is potentially the largest known scorpion in history, measuring more than a meter, or 3.3 feet, in length, with pincers estimated at 16 centimeters, or 6.3 inches. The fossils, first discovered in the UK in 1870 and dating back to the Early Devonian period approximately 415 million years ago, suggest that P. gigas may have thrived for another 40 million years due to the absence of large predators in its environment. This groundbreaking research, which involved advanced techniques like computed tomography scans and comparisons with other fossils, offers valuable insights into the early history of life on land, a time dominated by small plants and fungi.