AQUATIC DIRIGIBLE GHOST

You might not find this as lyrical as I do: "ribbon-like structures, probably functioning as gills, covered its back. Two appendages near its mouth were specialized for filter-feeding, with a series of spines lined with bristle-like structures to sweep up small animals and particles."

It's part of a description of an ancient animal in a Reuters article.

AEGIROCASSIS BENMOULAE

The reconstruction of a filter-feeding Aegirocassis benmoulae from the Ordovician Period feeding on a plankton cloud is shown in this artist rendering released to Reuters on March 10, 2015.

CREDIT: REUTERS/MARIANNE COLLINS, ARTOFFACT/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS

One imagines that, with slow steady thrusts, this oversize marine vacuum cleaner propelled itself through a peaceful sea, leaving clear water in its wake as it sucked up little microscopic buggy bits.

The Reuters article does not describe its social life or reproductive habits.
It definitely had both, but these remain mysterious.
The individual Aegirocassis Benmoulid probably did not co-ordinate oceanic scrubbing activities with others of its kind.


Cite:

The creature, called Aegirocassis benmoulae, was at least 7 feet (2.1 meters) long. It is the last known member of a group called anomalocaridids that included some of the first top predators near the dawn of animal life.
Almost all the group's members were active predators, grabbing prey with appendages sprouting from their heads. Aegirocassis adopted another feeding strategy. 
Its appendages acted as a sieve, capturing oodles of plankton.

End cite.

[SOURCE: Gigantic ancient arthropod was really 'a very peaceful guy' -- Reuters.]


Oodles of plankton sounds strangely appetizing.

It may have been a very happy creature.

One of the 'anomalocaridids'.




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