iNews Briefs, More & Community Events
Community Events
Dr. Moody September 2015
Gordon Solomon Art
You are invited you to attend the opening evening of
Doctor Moody: Frames of Mind
A new series of work by Gordon Solomon
Cayman islands national Gallery DART Auditorium
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oknWyXVUGc&feature=youtu.be
Please join the Cayman Jewish Community for the following programmes:
Sunday September 27th
6:30 pm Sukkot Under the Stars
Tuesday, September 29th
4:00pm Sukkot Children’s Party
Monday, October 26th
Mark Halawa: From Kuwait to Jerusalem
Wednesday, December 9th
4:00 pm Pardes Rock Chanukah Concert
Wednesday, January 6th 2016
Jerusalem Uncovered: Rabbi Avraham Stolik
8th Annual CISPA Gala “Back to the Future-Celebrating 45 years of excellence”
Date: 10/10/2015
Time: 6:30 PM
Ritz Carlton Seven Mile Beach
Phone: 749 3360
Register
Event Description: The 8th Annual CISPA Gala “Back to the Future-Celebrating 45 years of excellence” is a time to celebrate Caymanians who recently attained their professional accounting designations as well as a chance to celebrate the past and look to the future
Directions: The Ritz Carlton, Grand Cayman
Annual Meals on Wheels Dress Down Day
SAVE THE DATE
Dress Down Day Friday, 20th November, 2015
Help feed our Seniors we believe no-one in Cayman should go hungry.
Individuals can help by purchasing an orange ribbon for $5.00 or a tee shirt for $15.00 and wearing them on Dress Down Day, we are encouraging companies to match employee donations.
For more information or to sign up to participate please feel free to contact us via email at [email protected] or via telephone at 949-3905.
CARE announces Cayman Islands 5th Annual Paws for wine
Sat Sept 26th Ristorante Pappagallo
Lions Club of Tropical Gardens Brenda Tibbetts-Lund Memorial 5K Walk/Run5K
Sunday October 3, 2015 in North Side at 6am
FRI SEP 4
DCI to close on Friday
The Department of Commerce and Investment (DCI), including its Trade and Business Licensing Counter on the first floor of the Government Administration Building and its Cayman Brac office, will close on Friday, 4 September, for a staff training event.
DCI’s main office will reopen on Monday, 7 September at 8:30am, and the Trade and Business counter will reopen at 9:00am.
DCI staff apologise for any inconvenience the closure may cause. For more information please call 945-0943 or email [email protected].
Duel Enrollment Student Meeting at UCCI
All dual enrolment parents and guardians and students are invited to a special meeting on Friday (4 Sept) at the Sir Vassel Johnson Hall at the University College of the Cayman Islands at 530pm.
18th Annual CIRC Golf Tournament
The 18th Annual CIRC Golf Tournament at the North Sound Golf Club is Friday September 4th. Sign up and get more details by emailing [email protected]
Alzheimer’s and Dementia Association candle light memory walk
The Alzheimer’s and Dementia Association will be holding a on Friday 4th September from 6:30pm at the Scotts Dock. Candles will be provided. There is no cost and all are welcome. Refreshments will be served after the walk.
SAT SEP 5
Brac Veterans and Seaman’s Centre Presentation on Alzheimer’s and Dementia
On Saturday 5th September come out to the Veterans and Seaman’s Centre at 7pm for a presentation on Alzheimer’s and Dementia. A social with refreshments and prize drawing will follow after the presentation. All are welcome.
MON SEP 7
Red Bay Church of God Holiness Youth Revival
Red Bay Church of God Holiness will be holding its Youth Revival Monday — Sunday (7 — 13 Sept) at 7:30 PM and 6 PM on Sunday.
NWDA in East End
The National Workforce Development Agency is hosting a meeting at East End Library on Monday (7 Sept) at 10am.
Cayman Islands Girls Brigade Meeting
The Cayman Islands Girls Brigade is hosting a series of information meetings for girls between the ages of 5 and 19. The next one is Monday (7 Sept) at John Gray Memorial Church Hall at 5:30pm.
National Drug Council Drug Survey Volunteers
The National Drug Council is preparing to conduct the 4th cycle of Her Majesty’s Prison Survey on September 7 to 11. Volunteers will be needed. If you are interested, call 949.9000.
Mark your calendars Cayman Islands triathlon training series is back!
Unfortunately, due to the poor weather conditions, the Cayman Islands Triathlon Association (CITA) was forced to cancel its first training series last Sunday.
However, CITA is pleased to announce the new dates of the Triathlon Training Series, the first being this Saturday:
* September 6th 2015
* September 20th 2015
* October 11th 2015
In preparation for the Cayman Islands Triathlon, these build-up events not only help seasoned triathletes train and practice for race day, but also encourage first-time athletes to get involved.
The series is composed of three build-up triathlons to provide triathletes with an opportunity to complete before race day and meet other triathletes:
September 6th 2015 will be approximately 30% of race day distance:
Olympic: 500m Swim, 8 Mile Cycle, 2 Mile Run
Sprint: 250m Swim, 4 Mile Cycle, 1 Mile Run
September 20th 2015 will be approximately 50% of race day distance:
Olympic: 750m Swim, 12 Mile Cycle, 3 Mile Run
Sprint: 375m Swim, 6 Mile Cycle, 1.5 Mile Run
October 11th 2015 will be approximately 75% of race day distance:
Olympic: 1100m Swim, 18 Mile Cycle, 4.5 Mile Run
Sprint: 550m Swim, 9 Mile Cycle, 2.2 Mile Run
Each training series will start at 6:45am with triathletes expected to have setup their equipment in transition by 6:30am and be down at the beach by 6:40am for a safety and course briefing.
CITA will provide water for bottle refills, but there will not be any other hydration or food provided. Please be responsible for yourself in regards to gear, fuel, and hydration. Bike racks will be provided. There will be no official time keeping, first aid, directions/traffic control, or bike technicians.
Registration is handled separately for each race, so series participants can participate in as few or as many events as they would like. More information about the training series can be found at http://www.triathlon.ky/events/ci-triathlon-training-series.
Puerto Rican cop arrested for trafficking Dominican immigrant
From Fox News Latino
SAN JUAN, P.R. – An officer of the San Juan Municipal Police was arrested by U.S. federal authorities on charges of human trafficking for her attempt to bring a Dominican citizen from the island of Antigua into Puerto Rican territory illegally.
The U.S. attorney in San Juan, Rosa Emilia Rodriguez, said Tuesday in a statement that police officer Luz Zoraida Rojas was arrested on Aug. 28 after paying $1,000 to an undercover cop – who pretended to be an immigration official – for trying to introduce a Dominican male from Antigua into Puerto Rico.
According to the complaint, Rojas told agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations that she was working on a case against smugglers of undocumented migrants in order to out them later to the appropriate authorities.
The agents, however, were told by the Municipal Police that Rojas was not working on any authorized operation at the time of her arrest.
Rodriguez said that on Aug. 24, the accused got in touch with a source asking for help in transporting a friend from Antigua into the country.
Rodriguez said that Rojas had previously established contact with other traffickers, but would not agree to pay the $3,000 they demanded to close the deal.
On Aug. 25, the cop contacted an undercover agent, who pretended to be a trafficker, and agreed to pay him $2.800.
At the time of the transaction, officer Rojas was nabbed. If found guilty she could be sentenced to 10 years in jail.
Consolidated Water Co. Ltd. declares Fourth Quarter cash dividend
GEORGE TOWN, GRAND CAYMAN, CAYMAN ISLANDS, Sep 02, 2015 (Marketwired via COMTEX) — Consolidated Water Co. Ltd. CWCO, +0.68% which develops and operates seawater desalination plants and water distribution systems in areas of the world where naturally occurring supplies of potable water are scarce or nonexistent, today announced that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.075 per share.
The cash dividend is payable October 31, 2015 to shareholders of record at the close of business October 1, 2015.
CWCO-D
About Consolidated Water Co. Ltd.
Consolidated Water Co. Ltd. develops and operates seawater desalination plants and water distribution systems in areas of the world where naturally occurring supplies of potable water are scarce or nonexistent. The Company operates water production and/or distribution facilities in the Cayman Islands, Belize, the British Virgin Islands, The Commonwealth of The Bahamas, and Bali, Indonesia.
Consolidated Water Co. Ltd. is headquartered in George Town, Grand Cayman, in the Cayman Islands. The Company’s ordinary (common) stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “CWCO”. Additional information on the Company is available on its website at http://www.cwco.com.
Jamaican woman arrested in Fort Lauderdale smuggling cocaine in bra
From Caribbean News Now
FORT LAUDERDALE, USA — US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations (OFO) officers at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Wednesday arrested a female citizen of Jamaica for concealing approximately 2.7 pounds of cocaine in the bra she was wearing.
CBP officers found a white, powdery substance that tested positive for cocaine inside the bra after noticing abnormalities during an inspection. A total of 2.7 pounds of cocaine was seized and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
“This is another excellent example of our CBP officers’ expertise in preventing dangerous drugs from entering the United States,” said Fort Lauderdale International Airport port director Jorge Roig. “CBP officers demonstrate vigilance, integrity and professionalism on a daily basis.”
CBP Office of Field Operations is the primary organization within Homeland Security tasked with an anti-terrorism mission at the nation’s ports. CBP officers screen all people, vehicles and goods entering the United States while facilitating the flow of legitimate trade and travel. Their mission also includes carrying out border-related duties, including narcotics interdiction, enforcing immigration and trade laws, and protecting the nation’s food supply and agriculture industry from pests and diseases.
US panel dismisses suit against go-kart track operator
By Ben Bedell, From New York Law Journal
Citing the famous “Flopper” case, the Appellate Division, First Department, dismissed a tort claim brought against the operator of an indoor go-kart racing track Tuesday.
Beth Garnett, the plaintiff in Garnett v. Strike Holdings, 119073/06, claimed that she was permanently injured when the go-cart that her boyfriend was driving and in which she was riding was bumped twice by other go-carts.
“The activity in which plaintiff engaged is a type to which the assumption of risk doctrine is appropriately applied,” said the unanimous panel, citing Murphy v Steeplechase Amusement Co., 250 NY 479 (1929), the seminal case on assumption of risk taught in the first year of law school. Justice Benjamin Cardozo held in the case that a rider on a Coney Island attraction known as the “Flopper” assumed the risk of injury when the risk is foreseeable.
“It cannot be reasonably suggested that contact between go-karts during a race is anything other than just such a ‘commonly appreciated risk’ of go-karting,” the panel said, citing a go-cart case from the Appellate Division, Second Department, Loewenthal v. Catskill Funland, 237 AD2d 262, 263 (1997).
“Consequently, the operator cannot be held to a duty to protect plaintiff from that risk, even if plaintiff herself failed to recognize the risk,” the panel concluded, dismissing claims that the go-carts suffered from a defective design.
The ruling overturned a denial of summary judgment the defendant had sought from then-Manhattan Justice Milton Tingling, who is now New York County Clerk.
On the panel were Justices David Friedman, John Sweeny Jr., David Saxe, Paul Feinman and Darcel Clark.
The plaintiff was represented by Joshua Sandberg, a senior attorney at Finz & Finz.
Carla Varriale, a partner at Havkins Rosenfeld Ritzert & Varriale, argued for the defendant.
Impressionism and the Caribbean: Francisco Oller and his transatlantic world
By Denisse Oller From Seton Hall University
IMAGE: Impressionism 320 x 180
This October , the Institute is working in partnership with the Museum Professions Department to bring Dr. Edward Sullivan to speak at Seton Hall University. Dr. Sullivan is an internationally awarded scholar at NYU. Not only has he written over twenty five books and exhibition catalogues, he has also curated for art institutions throughout Spain and Latin America.
Dr. Sullivan is especially interested in the art of the Caribbean. As an expert in renowned Puerto Rican painter Francisco Oller y Cestero, he will discuss Oller’s paintings and their influences on impressionism. Francisco Oller was the only Latin American artist to have an impact on the development of the impressionist movement. Though he came from humble beginnings, Oller later founded an art school for young women and rose to become the official Royal Spanish Court painter. Oller’s paintings can be found in museums worldwide, including the Louvre in Paris.
For more information please contact:
Denisse Oller
(973) 761-9422 [email protected]
SOURCE: http://www.shu.edu/news/article/519663#.VeheYOl-RIc
Shrimp season begins in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea
From FIS
On Monday the shrimp fishing season began in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea in the offshore area, which stretches from the US border with Tamaulipas to the mouth of the Coatzacoalcos River in Veracruz.
The opening of the 2015-2016 season of the brown shrimp (Farfantepeneaus aztecus) fishery off the coast of Tamaulipas and Veracruz stands out for its social and economic importance.
In 2014, in the Gulf of Mexico 260,423 tonnes were caught, representing 13 per cent of the total domestic production, which is 1.75 million tonnes. In the Gulf of Mexico the main species caught are octopus, shrimp, scallops and cichlid, especially the states of Tamaulipas, Veracruz and Campeche as the major producers.
According to studies performed by the National Fisheries Institute (INAPESCA), it is estimated that 85 per cent or more of the organisms that are caught during the season that starts will be 145 millimetres in length, with a commercial category of line 21/25, and given this, it is considered that during this season the best yields and prices would be obtained.
On the day the fishing season began 212 shrimp boats were operating in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Tamaulipas and Veracruz, in a range of 16 to 25 fathoms, and in a band between 8 and 15 miles off the coast.
Out of these vessels, 116 are based in the port of Tampico, 71 are from Campeche, 20 from Veracruz and 5 from Quintana Roo.
IMAGE: Shrimp fishing vessels. (Photo: Sagarpa)
Is the Caribbean preparing to reach out to LGBTI tourists – and would you go if they did?
By Jamie Tabberer From Gay Star Travel
Some islands should place pink tourism among ‘top three niches’, says market research boss
Would you consider a vacation in the Caribbean? Is the Caribbean preparing to reach out to LGBTI tourists – and would you go if they did?
For many of us, the Caribbean is not the first place that springs to mind when we think ‘LGBTI
But according to a gay travel expert, times are changing and some destinations in the region should be ‘going after the market’ and placing it in their ‘top three niches.’
David Paisley, the senior research director specializing in LGBTI tourism at the San Francisco-based Community Marketing and Insights, told the Curacao Chronicle: ‘For some destinations the gay and lesbian market makes a lot of sense, for others it does not. I look at the Caribbean on a whole, I think some destinations probably should be going after the LGBT market, other destinations probably need a sitter.’
He continued: ‘Is this a sort of market that falls into your top three niches or not? That doesn’t mean you are an LGBT unfriendly place. It means your budget is limited and you need to go after other niches.’
Paisley was speaking ahead of the Caribbean Tourism Organization‘s State of the Industry Conference [SOTIC] in Curacao, taking place from October 21-23, where he will take part in a paneled discussion named ‘Teach Me to Niche’.
Paisley added: ‘What I want to emphasize is some of the statistics around the LGBT community and why it is a lucrative market, and try to get people to better understand why is it there are over 100 tourism bureaus that are actively outreaching to the LGBT community today. I want to break some of the myths. Gays and lesbians are like everyone else, we are traveling to a place because we want to have fun, we want to get out of work and our regular lives.’
For more information on the SOTIC, click here.
Major Beijing delegation for Invest Caribbean Now 2015 – St. Martin
By Carib PR Wire
The Government of the Collectivité of French Saint-Martin, The Office of Tourism of Saint-Martin and executives at (ICN), in collaboration with the Sino-American Friendship Associationand the Chinese American Business Development Center of New York, will create history in the northeast Caribbean this Fall when for the first time, the region welcomes such a major Chinese travel delegation to a summit, exploring investment opportunities between China and Saint Martin. In addition, the summit will also discuss primary issues related to tourism and women’s empowerment.
The Beijing delegation will be comprised largely of C-level executives from leading companies, travel agencies and organizations in China. The delegation will be led byQin, Guoying, Secretary-General of China Women’s Development Foundation, and Xiong, Yumei,Executive President of the China Women Tourism Committee.
“Invest Caribbean Now remains dedicated to fostering opportunities that create economic and cultural partnerships around the globe,” commented ICN founder Felicia J. Persaud. “ICN is excited to this year extend its relationship with the Sino-American Friendship Association and the Chinese American Business Development Center of New York in helping the Government of the Collectivité of French Saint-Martin and put the global spotlight on opportunities in its tourism sector.”
“We are excited by this opportunity to showcase our island to investors and tourism professionals,” said Hon. Jeanne Rogers-Vanterpool, Présidente, Office de Tourisme de Saint-Martin. “Invest Caribbean Now will give us the opportunity to give potential investors a firsthand look at the many opportunities that are available on our island as well as the benefits of a fiscal climate that is truly investor friendly. It’s not every day that you’re given a captive audience in an environment that is ideal for doing business. We are looking forward to welcoming this delegation to our shores.” “This summit is a historical event, bringing a large group of Beijing delegates to Saint-Martin, and featuring discussions on tourism and women’s development,” commented LiLi, Vice President,Sino-American Friendship Association. “This event will greatly advance women’s roles in tourism and public welfare, as well as further enhance business cooperation between China and Saint-Martin.”
Invest Caribbean Now 2015 – St. Martin will put the spotlight on tourism investment opportunities in the French Caribbean Island at the September event in Marigot. This elite invitation only event will also feature several officials from the north-east Caribbean along with top global harbour developers and local stake holders.
Partners for the 2015 event include the Government of the Collectivité of French Saint-Martin, , the St-Martin Harbor, Hard Beat Communications, the Chinese-American Business Development Center, the Sino-American Friendship Association, One Caribbean Television, the St. Maarten Chinese Association,CaribPRWire and News Americas Now.
Irie Jam Radio announces live streaming of Caribbean Carnival Week events during New York City’s Annual Labor Day Celebration
BROOKLYN, N.Y., Sept. 3, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Irie Jam Radio has partnered with the West Indian American Day Carnival Association (WIADCA) to present live streaming of featured events from the 48th Annual West Indian American Day Carnival. Can’t make it to New York or the Parkway this year for the Greatest Carnival in North America? No problem, Irie Jam Radio is bringing the Parkway and Brooklyn Museum events to you with over 20 hours of live streaming coverage. Experience Carnival from the comfort of your own home or anywhere on your mobile device for as low as $9.99.
Live stream events kick off on Thursday, September 3rd with the Caribbean Freedom Festival, hosted by Riggo Suave and featuring Kes the Band, Rembunction, Camille, Ness, Jaleni, Scorpio, Young Devyn and many more.
Streaming continues on Friday, September 4th with the Brass Fest concert featuring popular Trinidadian artists Bunji Garlin, Fay Ann Lyons, Asylum Vikings, Lyrikal, Ravi-B & Karma, Preedy, and Ricardo Drue (Antigua), Skinny Fabulous (St. Vincent), Hypasounds (Barbados) and Pressure Busspipe (Virgin Islands).
On Saturday, September 5th the live stream features the sweet sounds of steel pan orchestras competing at the annual Steel Band Panorama.
All roads lead to the Parkway on Monday, September 7th for 8 hours of streaming of the New York Caribbean Carnival featuring the sights, sounds and spectacle of Carnival and special guest appearances by Mighty Sparrow, David Rudder, Edwin Yearwood, Sean Paul, Ky-Mani Marley, Mr. Vegas, Bunji Garlin, Gyptian, Assassin, Dexta Daps and more.
Stream any individual event for the low price of $9.99 or purchase the entire 4-day package for $29.99. For more information and to purchase your access to streams go to http://iriejamradio.com/wiadca/
Live Stream info link: http://iriejamradio.com/wiadca/
American Airlines adds new A321 Miami – Caribbean routes from Dec 2015
American Airlines Adds New A321 Miami – Caribbean Routes from Dec 2015
Posted at 0430GMT 03SEP15
American Airlines in winter 2015/16 season is gradually introducing Airbus A321 Sharklet service to a number Caribbean routes from Miami. Planned new A321 Sharklet (32B) International service form Miami as follow.
eff 17DEC15 Miami – Barbados 2 daily
eff 17DEC15 Miami – Port au Prince 2 daily
eff 17DEC15 Miami – Punta Cana 3 daily
eff 12JAN16 Miami – Santo Domingo 3 daily (4 daily form 12FEB16)
KeyQuant launches Cayman CTA fund
The Key Trends 15 Fund launched this week with $16m
Sam Macdonald Sam Macdonald Wednesday 2nd September, 2015 9:16 AM ET
Paris-based CTA KeyQuant is launching a new Cayman fund with $16m aimed at raising assets from US corporate pension plans. The Key Trends 15 Fund was launched yesterday and will follow KeyQuant’s medium to long-term trend-following strategy and include both commodity and non-commodity futures.
For more: https://hfm.global/hfmweek/news/keyquant-launches-cayman-cta-fund/
Woman addresses mental illness with one clever tattoo
By Lindsey Robertson From Mashable
Mental illness, aside from being a taboo conversation topic, in an oft-misunderstood reality for one in four American adults.
One young woman is using a simple tattooed statement to force others to confront and de-stigmatize these pervasive mental health issues.
After being diagnosed with depression, 20-year-old Bekah Miles chose to brand her thigh with the curly-scripted phrase “I’m fine.” However, upon closer inspection, the phrase says something different altogether.
When viewed from Bekah’s perspective, the tattoo reads “Save me.”
The tattoo is symbolic of the perpetual battle between Bekah’s inner demons and her outward veneer. While others may view her as outwardly “fine,” she could be falling apart on the inside at any given moment.
“Mental illness is serious, but so shamed in our society,” Bekah writes on her Facebook post. “We care so much for our physical health, but hardly a thing about our mental state. And that is seriously messed up. Mental illness is not a choice and will likely hit everyone at some point in their life. If it’s such a huge issue, why aren’t we having this conversation about it?”
Bekah outlined the intricacies and rituals of her daily struggle with depression in poetry form:
To me, depression is the days that I feel sad for no reason.
Depression is the mornings that I don’t feel capable of getting out of bed.
Depression is the sleeping too much, or sleeping too little.
Depression is the homework that I never completed, simply because I didn’t feel like I was capable.
Depression is the break downs I have over absolutely nothing.
Depression is the eating too much, or eating too little.
Depression is the nights I begin to cry because I feel so overwhelmed, even though everything is going right.
Depression is the 50 pounds I carry in my chest at all times.
Depression is the need to constantly be distracted (being on social media, playing video games, watching movies or shows, or working all the time) because I can’t trust myself with my thoughts for longer than 3 minutes.
Depression is the friendships that have suffered because of my inability to function.
Depression is the hurtful thoughts and actions I have towards myself.
Depression is the tears I have because I don’t know why I feel so worthless, when I know I should feel happy.
Ultimately, Bekah hopes the tattoo will not only be her personal touchstone, but will also encourage others to open up about their own experiences with mental illness.
“This forces me to talk about my own struggle, and why the awareness of it is important,” she writes. “You’d be surprised by how many people YOU know that struggle with depression, anxiety, or other mental illness. I may only be one person, but one can save another…and that’s all I could really ask for.”
Fossils show big bug ruled the seas 460 million years ago
By Seth Borenstein, Associated Press From Business Insider
WASHINGTON (AP) — Earth’s first big predatory monster was a weird water bug as big as Tom Cruise, newly found fossils show.
Almost half a billion years ago, way before the dinosaurs roamed, Earth’s dominant large predator was a sea scorpion that grew to 5 feet 7 inches, with a dozen claw arms sprouting from its head and a spike tail, according to a new study.
Scientists found signs of these new monsters of the prehistoric deep in Iowa, of all places.
Geologists at the Iowa Geological Survey found 150 pieces of fossils about 60 feet under the Upper Iowa River, part of which had to be temporarily dammed to allow them to collect the specimens. Then scientists at Yale University determined they were a new species from about 460 million year ago, when Iowa was under an ocean
Then, all the action was in the sea and it was pretty small scale, said James Lamsdell of Yale, lead author of the study published Monday in the journal BMC Evolutionary Biology.
“This is the first real big predator,” Lamsdell said. “I wouldn’t have wanted to be swimming with it. There’s something about bugs. When they’re a certain size, they shouldn’t be allowed to get bigger.”
Technically, this creature — named Pentecopterus decorahensis, after an ancient Greek warship — is not a bug by science definitions, Lamsdell said. It’s part of the eurypterid family, which are basically sea scorpions.
Those type of creatures “are really cool,” said Joe Hannibal, curator of invertebrate paleontology at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Hannibal wasn’t part of the study, but praised it for being well done, adding “this species is not particularly bizarre — for a eurypterid.”
Unlike modern land scorpions, this creature’s tail didn’t sting. It was used more for balance and in swimming, but half this creature’s length was tail, Lamsdell said.
There were larger sea scorpions half way around the world at the same time but those were more bottom feeders instead of dominant predators, he said.
Lamsdell could tell by the way the many arms come out of the elongated head how this creature grabbed prey and pushed it to its mouth.
“It was obviously a very aggressive animal,” Lamsdell said. “It was a big angry bug.”
Online:
The study: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12862-015-0443-9
IMAGE:
This rendering provided by Yale University shows a Pentecopterus decorahensis. Earths first big predatory monster was a weird water bug, newly found fossils show. Almost half a billion years ago, Earths dominant large predator was a sea scorpion that grew to 5 feet 7 inches with a dozen claw arms sprouting from its head and a spike tail, according to a new study. (Patrick J. Lynch/Yale University via AP)
