Have recent monsoon rains unearthed an ancient, 8-foot-long Arthropleura in Arizona?
By Carmela Guaglianone
View this fact brief on Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting
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NO
Arthropleura are an extinct species of millipede-like arthropod. The widely-circulating video of the creature in the Arizona desert has been identified as AI-generated.
Arthropleura, which fossils indicate could reach more than 8 feet long, are thought to have thrived some 300 million years ago. Fossilized tracks and body parts have been found in North America and the United Kingdom. The creatures are believed to have roamed in areas near the equator.
Monsoons can, however, flush out dormant or well-hidden creatures in the desert. Large colonies of normal sized ants and termites are known to thrive after the summer storms.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Encyclopædia Britannica Arthropleura | Size, Fossils, Habitat, & Facts
University of Arizona Calendar of Appearance of Some Common Insects in the Sonoran Low Desert
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