Every now and again, scientists discover fossils that are so bizarre they defy classification, their body make-up is unlike any other living animals or plants. Tullimonstrum (also known as the Tully Monster), a 300 year-old fossil discovered in the Mazon Creek fossil beds in Illinois, US, is one such creature.

At first glance, Tully looks superficially slug-like. But where you would expect its mouth to be, the creature has a long thin appendage ending in what looks like a pair of grasping claws. Then there are its eyes, which protrude outward from its body on stalks.

https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-mysterious-phenomena/tully-monster-0012900

I can’t get any idea of size of this thing? I looked at the link (most un-forum like, I know), but I couldn’t see any indication there. Is it little bird, big bird, whale size?

• I can’t get any idea of size of this thing? I looked at the link (most un-forum like, I know), but I couldn’t see any indication there. Is it little bird, big bird, whale size?

Wikipedia says small “Tullimonstrum probably reached lengths of up to 35 centimetres “

Looks like a creature that swan around slowly and ate things that either couldn’t move or where too slow and stupid to do so. Doesn’t look like a creature that could snaffle moving prey through hunting, the eyes are way to far removed from the mouth parts for that.

party_pants said:

Looks like a creature that swan around slowly and ate things that either couldn’t move or where too slow and stupid to do so. Doesn’t look like a creature that could snaffle moving prey through hunting, the eyes are way to far removed from the mouth parts for that.

That’s what the long neck is for, to sway sideways to where the eyes can see?

Tullimonstrum – Wikepedia

roughbarked said:

party_pants said:

Looks like a creature that swan around slowly and ate things that either couldn’t move or where too slow and stupid to do so. Doesn’t look like a creature that could snaffle moving prey through hunting, the eyes are way to far removed from the mouth parts for that.

That’s what the long neck is for, to sway sideways to where the eyes can see?

The eyes seem to be on a defensive arrangement (wide field of vision with minimal overlap) rather than a predatory arrangement (close set, overlapping, for judging distance).

roughbarked said:

party_pants said:

Looks like a creature that swan around slowly and ate things that either couldn’t move or where too slow and stupid to do so. Doesn’t look like a creature that could snaffle moving prey through hunting, the eyes are way to far removed from the mouth parts for that.

That’s what the long neck is for, to sway sideways to where the eyes can see?

Could have had sensory organs in the neck to track prey

party_pants said:

roughbarked said:

party_pants said:

Looks like a creature that swan around slowly and ate things that either couldn’t move or where too slow and stupid to do so. Doesn’t look like a creature that could snaffle moving prey through hunting, the eyes are way to far removed from the mouth parts for that.

That’s what the long neck is for, to sway sideways to where the eyes can see?

The eyes seem to be on a defensive arrangement (wide field of vision with minimal overlap) rather than a predatory arrangement (close set, overlapping, for judging distance).

Oh, I so wish that had been discovered when I worked at Kareeya(Tully Falls) power station. There would have been images of it with the boss’ name on them all over the place.

buffy said:

I can’t get any idea of size of this thing? I looked at the link (most un-forum like, I know), but I couldn’t see any indication there. Is it little bird, big bird, whale size?

Around 12” in length if you watch the video.

party_pants said:

roughbarked said:

party_pants said:

Looks like a creature that swan around slowly and ate things that either couldn’t move or where too slow and stupid to do so. Doesn’t look like a creature that could snaffle moving prey through hunting, the eyes are way to far removed from the mouth parts for that.

That’s what the long neck is for, to sway sideways to where the eyes can see?

The eyes seem to be on a defensive arrangement (wide field of vision with minimal overlap) rather than a predatory arrangement (close set, overlapping, for judging distance).

yeah. It probably didn’t use them for foraging.

PermeateFree said:

buffy said:

I can’t get any idea of size of this thing? I looked at the link (most un-forum like, I know), but I couldn’t see any indication there. Is it little bird, big bird, whale size?

Around 12” in length if you watch the video.

Ta, I don’t usually do the video bits.

buffy said:

PermeateFree said:

buffy said:

I can’t get any idea of size of this thing? I looked at the link (most un-forum like, I know), but I couldn’t see any indication there. Is it little bird, big bird, whale size?

Around 12” in length if you watch the video.

Ta, I don’t usually do the video bits.

Someone posted about 35cm so that is about a foot.

PermeateFree said:

buffy said:

I can’t get any idea of size of this thing? I looked at the link (most un-forum like, I know), but I couldn’t see any indication there. Is it little bird, big bird, whale size?

Around 12” in length if you watch the video.

Wow! Bazaro.
But I was thinking 20m or something..

PermeateFree said:

Every now and again, scientists discover fossils that are so bizarre they defy classification, their body make-up is unlike any other living animals or plants. Tullimonstrum (also known as the Tully Monster), a 300 year-old fossil discovered in the Mazon Creek fossil beds in Illinois, US, is one such creature.

At first glance, Tully looks superficially slug-like. But where you would expect its mouth to be, the creature has a long thin appendage ending in what looks like a pair of grasping claws. Then there are its eyes, which protrude outward from its body on stalks.

https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-mysterious-phenomena/tully-monster-0012900

Tullimonstrum – Wikepedia

Cast your votes now, folks, cast your votes.

Would you vote for:
1. Vertebrate
2. Mollusc
3. Arthropod
4. Worm
5. Other (incl. conodont)

Eyes on stalks are common features of molluscs and arthropods.
Teeth tend to suggest vertebrate, arthropod or conodont.
Among molluscs, some pteropods are pretty bizarre, but not quite that bizarre.
Worms tend to be less bizarre, the image below is a spoon worm
Early vertebrates, too tend to lack bizarreness.

Arthropods tend to be the most bizarre ancient creatures, so I’m going to tentatively vote 3 – arthropod.

The head and jaws resemble the arthropod Opabinia, but Opabinia is even weirder in having five eyes on stalks rather than just two. Here’s a picture of Opabinia from https://www.zmescience.com/science/geology/a-book-on-the-cambrian-with-some-mind-blowing-illustrations/