The Arthropleura or Dipchlinites cuithensis, were common during the Carboniferous period. However the fossil track found on Arran is one of the earliest records of their appearance in the Geological record. The Arthropleura or “Millipede” type creatures lived in the forest litter of the Carboniferous swamps and forests. A model of the type of Arthropleura that made the tracks, can be seen in the Hunterian Museum in Glasgow.
Only two such fossils have been found in the world, one in Arran, and another in Canada . The Canadian fossil however, had the remains of the huge bug at the end of them. It was about two metres in length.
To log this earthcache then please message me with the answers to the following questions:
1. What period were Arthropleua most common in?
2. Using the size of the Arthropleura found in Canada (2m in length) and the distance between the imprints on the stone, estimate how many pairs of legs the Arran Arthropleura had.
3. Using the fossil imprints as a guide, estimate how wide the Arthropleura was.
A picture of you with the tracks would be great, but it is not a logging requirement.
Thanks to Arran Access Trust and Visit Arran for encouraging geocaching on the island and allowing thi Earthcache to be placed