An ancient creature recently discovered by scientists brings pregnancy and caring for offspring into a whole new level as it carries its babies in capsules that are attached to its body, tethered like tassels or tiny kites. 

This arthropod existed some 430 million years ago which apparently lacks a backbone but its segmented body is covered by an exoskeleton. Known as the Aquilonifer spinosus, this creature was named after a highly acclaimed 2003 novel called "The Kite Runner". Fossilized evidence was found in Herefordshire, England which is also the only specimen ever discovered.

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Researchers from Yale University, Oxford University and the University of Leicester along with the Imperial College of London analyzed and examined this animal by creating 3D reconstructions of the fossilized remains.

According to lead author of the study, Derek Briggs from the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, this specimen is totally unique in protecting their eggs and embryos as modern crustaceans usually employ strategies such as attaching them to their limbs, or hiding them under their carapace and enclosing them in a special protective pouch or sac until they are mature enough to be released into the wild.

Briggs adds that there is simply no creature today that utilizes threads to attach their young to the upper surface.

This "kite carrier" fossilized specimen apparently has 10 juveniles hanging around the adult, which are at different stages of development. Scientists suggest that the reason why the babies are at different stages is due to the fact that the mother arthropod will not be able to molt its shell until the young are old enough to hatch. When its exoskeleton will be shed, the young will also be released into the wild. 

Initially, scientists thought that these ten juveniles could probably be parasites that are attached on the Aquilonifer, however Briggs and his team ruled this one out since this is not the most ideal place to access all the nutrients from a host. The team confirms that this is indeed a parent "Kite Runner" with its offspring attached to the exoskeleton.

Briggs explains that the arthropod was named after kites and the novel, as the juveniles appear to look like small kites. When the parent moves around, the juvenile would seem like little kites or lanterns that are attached to it.

These new findings reveal how arthropods already evolved its brooding practices and strategies however, it also suggests that this type of strategy was less successful since they became extinct. This new study is published in the journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.