Saccorhytus coronarious

Thought to have lived as long as 540 million years ago, the creature is the oldest known member of a large group of animals known as deuterostomes, which includes vertebrates – such as humans – as well as starfish, sea urchins and a host of other fauna.

Fossils of huge otter unearthed in China

Scientists have unearthed fossils of an intriguingly large otter as big as a wolf that frolicked in rivers and lakes in a lush, warm and humid wetlands region in south-western China about 6.2 million years ago.  Researchers say the outsized otter, called Siamogale melilutra, weighed about 50 kilograms and measured up to two metres long, making it bigger than any of its cousins alive today.

Ants select the most functional tools and further adapt them for use

Ants have been shown to experiment with tools and choose those that were easiest to handle and could soak up plenty of liquid, such as bits of sponge or paper, despite them not being found in the insects’ natural environment.  This suggests that ants can take into account the properties of both the tool and the liquid they are transporting. It also indicates they can learn to use new tools.  Some ant species are known to use tools, such as mud or sand grains, to collect and transport liquid to their nests. But this is the first time they are shown to select the most suitable ones.