Prague metro construction leads to discovery of new prehistoric species

Excavation work on Prague Metro's Line D has led to the unexpected discovery of fossils belonging to an entirely new species of prehistoric arthropod that lived around 448 million years ago.

Scientists have named the species Soomaspis labutai. It is said to resemble a cross between a spider and a trilobite.

Researchers say the most surprising aspect of the find is that its closest known relative was previously identified only in southern Africa. The discovery significantly changes scientific understanding of how these ancient creatures were distributed.

Much of Prague stands on rock formations dating back to the Paleozoic era, between 541 and 252 million years ago. Major construction works in the city regularly uncover fossils, including trilobites, cephalopods and ancient echinoderms.