Megalograptus means "Great Grapto-
lite," which refers to the fact that
the first Megalograptus fossils were
mistaken for graptolites (prehis-
toric colonial animals). We now know
that Megalograptus was a eurypterid
that looked superficially similar to 
a scorpion. It was slightly over
a meter in length, with two massive
appendages extending from beneath 
its head. These two appendages were
covered with forward-facing spines,
which may have been used to trap
prey in front of it front of it to 
be eaten. Its tail was long and 
forked at the end, but it was not a 
stinger like those seen in modern 
scorpions.

Megalograptus lived in coral reef
environments of the Ordovician
Period. Its spiny pincers helped it
eat fish and other soft-bodied
creatures, but its ability to eat
tough trilobites is questionable.
In addition to prey items, 
Megalograptus lived alonside
crinoids, sponges, ammonites, and 
other species of eurypterids. It 
likely had no predators as adults
due to its hard exoskeleton, but 
may have made a tasty snack when 
it was molting and vulnerable.
