Rare Fossils of Punk and Emo Reveal Complexity in Early Mollusks

The 430-million-year-old fossils challenge assumptions about early mollusk evolution, showing unexpected diversity and adaptability.

Two newly discovered Silurian-period mollusk species, Punk ferox and Emo vorticaudum, were found in Herefordshire, England, and date back 430 million years.
The fossils, preserved in exceptional detail, reveal that early mollusks in the Aculifera group were more complex and diverse than previously believed.
Advanced 3D imaging techniques, including X-ray scanning and layer-by-layer grinding, allowed researchers to reconstruct the fossils digitally without damaging them.
Punk and Emo displayed unique features, such as spiky protective structures and unconventional movement strategies, with Emo likely moving like an inchworm.
The findings, published in Nature, provide new insights into the evolutionary history of mollusks, highlighting greater diversity in early Aculifera than previously understood.