One of the most puzzling creatures ever uncovered by scientists has finally been solved recently. Scientists have now unveiled the Tully Monster's true nature.
Half a century ago, the Tully Monster was discovered by paleontologists but it was stopped by the creature's enigma, CNN reported. It did not fit into any known major animal group at that time.
Today, researchers have claimed that they have finally found the creature's place in the "tree of life," according to The Washington Post. The Tully Monster might not have a family but it could finally have a phylum.
Recent analysis of the creature's body structures showed that what was previously known as the gut in the past was actually the rudimentary spinal cord. Scientists have determined that the Tully Monster was indeed a vertebrate. It was a relative of the modern lampreys.
Even though the creature was made entirely of soft tissues, it was actually from an extinct group of chordates. This is the phylum that includes the vertebrates like the humans.
Different scientists have analyzed 1,200 specimens to understand the creature's true form. They have pieced together different clues from the analyzed specimens and have concluded that it was an eel-like creature.
Victoria McCoy, the lead author on the study, has said that the creature has always been in "a class of its own." There are also other fossils that are really puzzling but they do not compare to this creature's uniqueness.
This ancient creature still has many mysterious features of its anatomy. One of those mysteries is its tiny beady eyes attached to the stalk that runs across its head.
For many years, a lot of researchers have speculated that this creature had a wormlike body with different strange features. They compared it to a segmented worm, sea snail or a swimming slug.
The Tully Monster was even speculated that it was the Loch Ness monster but only in giant size. The folklore was claimed by a self-proclaimed monster hunter called as F.W. Holiday.
The recent discovery has now ended the speculations that have gathered throughout the years. This mysterious creature now has an animal group to belong.
Watch the video the creature below: