Racoscorpion Eurypterus remipes

Eurypterus remipes is a species of Eurypteridae, better known as crustaceans. These arthropods lived in the Paleozoic Era, and their heyday was in the Silurian Period.

A continuous carapace protects the eurypterus’ thorax; the body and tail consist of 12 segments that become smaller towards a blade-shaped telson. Two preserved appendages out of six are visible on the head. They helped to bring food to the mouth, to move over the sea bottom, and served as touch organs. The flat, shortened claws acted as paddles when swimming, and even the species name "remipes" can be translated as «paddle-footed".

Eurypterus remipes lived about 432 to 418 million years ago in rivers and lakes in the Silurian continent of Laurentia. Some of the findings of Eurypterus remipes are from Canada, but most are found in New York, making Eurypterus remipes the official fossil of the New York State since 1984.