This fearsome creature from the Early Carboniferous period, roughly 330 million years ago, was the size of a house cat and far more terrifying. With a venomous sting in its large tail, it was a carnivore that would immobilise prey before tearing it up with its strong pincers.
ulmonoscorpius kirktonensis is the largest land scorpion ever known, with eight slender legs and robust claws. But unlike scorpions of today, it had large, lateral eyes, good for navigating the dense forests of towering trees and thick fern undergrowth that covered prehistoric Scotland.
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The only known fossils of this enormous scorpion were discovered at the East Kirkton Quarry in West Lothian, Scotland. The site remains the sole place on Earth where this species has been found.
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Interestingly, the pincers of Pulmonoscorpius kirktonensis were comparatively small. This suggests it either preyed on smaller creatures or relied heavily on venom to overpower larger targets, using its claws mainly to grip victims once they were incapacitated.
