While doing research for my latest novel, I came across a few species of creepy crawlies that were truly horrific — so naturally, I had to use them! Both lived about a 100 million years ago, and I think you’ll agree we can all breath a sigh of relief that both aren’t around today!
A reader sent me information on something fantastic that lived during the Cretaceous period — the HELL ANT (no, seriously!).The newly discovered species of prehistoric Formicidae, or Hell Ant, as dubbed by its discoverer, had a physiology that lived up to its Underworldish name. They were huge and armor-plated with gruesome mouthparts and metal-infused spikes on their head used to impale their victims and then drink the running blood.
No other living ant species had such exoskeleton cranial anatomy. The larger of the species had a horn-like appendage that jutted out over their tusk-like mandibles. As well as being like an iron-armored rhino, these ants may also been vampires — when their mandibles moved upwards, they formed a perfect “gutter” that might have funneled hemolymph, insect blood, down to the mouthparts.
The specimen was beautifully preserved in amber — a prehistoric cockroach that lived 100 million years ago during the age of the dinosaurs. But the Manipulator Modificaputis was like no other cockroach, past or present.
Based on its physical appearance, scientists suggest it was a nocturnal hunter in the ancient coniferous forests. Unlike most cockroach varieties today who are scavengers, this hunting specimen had long legs covered in dense hairs, long forearms capable of clasping prey, a moveable head on a long neck, and an extra set of eyes covered with an umbrella-like shield. Added to that, it had mouthparts that were like a buzz saw.
The Killer Cockroach is more anatomically closely related to the praying mantodeans, and although praying mantises are predatory, they are mostly sit-and-wait predators. But the Manipulator Modificaputis was a hunter, and certainly would have had the body and the skill to chase down and eat its prey alive.