A BIZARRE ancient creature that looks like a sci-fi reject may actually have been a backboned animal related to fish. The claim relies on chemical analysis of fossils of the creature, and other palaeontologists remain cautious.The animal is called Tullimonstrum gregarium, or simply the Tully Monster. It lived about 300 million years ago in shallow waters covering what is now Illinois. There are thousands of good fossils of it, all from one formation called Mazon Creek.The Tully Monster had a streamlined body, a bit like a worm or fish, with holes resembling gills along the sides. Mounted on top was a horizontal bar, at the ends of which were its eyes. At the back, it had a fin-like tail. Finally, at the front it had a long, angled neck with a pincer-like appendage.
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