Illustrations made for the Norwegian book Sea Scorpions of Ringerike (also published in France). The book tells the story of the fascinating fossils of Sea Scorpions from the Silurian era (appr. 470 million years ago) that have been found in Norway.
Technique is watercolor and colored pencil on board
Size is 21 x 30 cm
https://www.esthervanhulsen.com/
Mixopterus kiaeri, a species of sea scorpion of which a beautiful fossil specimen has been found in Norway. This animal could get up to 80 cm in length.
Other sea life in the Silurian time period. Life on land, other than some small mosses, did not exist yet.
Eggs and hatching larvae of Mixopterus
Mixopterus is growing, and shown here with Micraspis, an early fish of about 15 cm in length.
Some sea scorpion species could grow up to reach sizes of almost 2 meters.
Mixopterus is growing, and like modern crabs and crustaceans needs to get rid of its old skin. It did this on the beach, as there were no land animals that could predate on them in this vulnerable stage in their life.
A different species of sea scorpion, the Erettopterus, fishing in tide pools on teh beach.
Mixopterus engaged in a mating dance
Mixopterus all grown up and trying to catch a Micraspis fish.
The Silurian coats sometimes experienced earth quakes.
Mixopterus bled blue blood, as their blood was based on copper (our blood is based on iron and therefore red)
Mixopterus dying on the beach, and becoming the beautiful fossil we ca see in the Natural History Museum in Oslo, Norway today.
The book has been published in Norway (Cappelen Damm 2014, ISBN 9788202413897) and in France (Albin Michel 2015, ISBN 2226325131)
https://www.ark.no/produkt/boker/barneboker/sjoskorpionen-pa-ringerike-9788202413897
