英国学者日前在苏格兰境内发现了3.3亿年前，一只巨大的水蝎（water scorpion）在爬行时留下的痕迹。这是人们发现的首个，同时也是惟一一个证明该物种在脱离水的地方也能生存的证据。

    据美联社11月30日报道，英国谢菲尔德大学地理系讲师马丁·怀特是在苏格兰中部山谷发现这些足迹的。怀特在接受美联社采访时表示，“过去人们曾对水蝎的鳃、食物结构、肢体力量以及它能否脱离水而生存展开过讨论，现在终于有独立的证据证明它们可以做到这一点了”。

    根据怀特的分析，这一动物为长有6条腿的水生蝎子，体长大约5英尺（1.6米），体宽约3英尺（1米）。其步幅显示出，它爬行速度非常缓慢。怀特表示，它托拽自己身体时留下的证据显示，这只水蝎很可能已经移出了有水的地方。他说：“中间的凹槽显示，这只水蝎的尾巴并没有浮起来或者被水支撑着；而凹槽旁边的一些条痕则说明，它运动得并不平稳。尽管这可能并不具有代表性，但它确实说明这种动物并不善于敏捷地移动到没有水的地方。”

    报道说，这一重大发现将被发表在最新一期的《自然》杂志上。

    A scientist in Scotland has discovered tracks made by a huge water scorpion 330 million years ago, the first of the species ever discovered and the only evidence showing it could survive outside of the water, according to the journal Nature's edition to be published Thursday.

    Martin Whyte, a lecturer in the Department of Geography at the University of Sheffield, discovered the fossil of a hibbertopteroid — a type of scorpion — in Scotland's Midland Valley.

    "There has been in the past discussion centering around hibbertopteroid gills, feeding structures and limb strengths and whether or not these animals could come out of the water. Here at last is independent evidence that they could," he told The Associated Press.

    According to Whyte's analysis of the fossil, the creature was a six-legged water scorpion measuring 5 feet long and 3 feet wide. The length of its stride indicates that the animal was crawling extremely slowly. Evidence that it was dragging part of its body suggests that it was probably moving out of water, Whyte said.

    "The central groove shows that the tail of the animal was not buoyed up or supported by water and striations on the side of the groove show that motion was jerky. Though this might not be typical, it does suggest that this animal was not very adept at moving out of water," he said.

    Whyte said he has been keeping the exact location of his find secret until he can make a replica of the trackway.