This bizarre ancient critter has been kicked out of a group that includes humans
New imaging that revealed its spiny minion-like look led to its reclassification
![a 3-D reconstruction of Saccorhytus coronarius, which looks like a purple spiky cylinder with a large mouth](https://i0.wp.com/www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/082222_ag_anus_feat.jpg?fit=1030%2C580&ssl=1)
Fossil imaging used to create this 3-D reconstruction of the extinct, roughly half-millimeter-long Saccorhytus coronarius — seen from its front (left) and back (right) — helped lead to the reclassification of the critter.
Y. Liu et al/Nature 2022