Predator First on Earth

At present, the most common predators are sharks, eagles, tigers, crocodiles, and lions. In the early days of life on Earth about 100 million years ago, is the nation’s main predator crustaceans, now includes the class of shrimp, lobster, and crabs.

Type of crustacean that a predator when it is Anomalocaris.Based on publications in the journal Nature on Thursday (8/12/2011), 92 cm-sized crustacean has large eyes and mouth with a sharp cutting tools. Species are suspected to be the first predators on Earth.
The presence of predators are known based on the analysis of fossils found in the eyes of Kangaroo Island, southern Australia. Is John R Paterson of the University of New England and his team of scientists of University of Adelaide and South Australian Museum who found it.
Scientists revealed that Anomalocaris was a major predator in the sea. Evidence that a predator Anomalocaris is a fossil trilobite and coprolite. Is a type of ancient arthropods trilobites and coprolite is one type of dinosaur.
The scientists estimated, the characteristics that make Anomalocaris could be at the top of the food chain is a relatively giant size at the time. The second reason is his mouth that has a sharp cutting tool, though not described whether it be a gear cutting tool.
Other characteristics that support the animal as a predator is his piercing eyes. ”Visual tool that preserved both have at least 16,000 ommatidium is composed of hexagonal, compete with the sharpest eyes in arthropods today,” writes in the journal Nature.
Ommatidium vision is a unit consisting of light receptor cells are surrounded by supporting cells and the pigment. Number 16 000 ommatidium only in one eye. Species that have two eyes.
Eye measuring 2.5 cm to be one clue how the vision organ in arthropods, and particularly crustaceans, evolved. Anomalocaris this period lived 100 million years ago and entered the Cambrian period.
(Source : Kompas)