Paleontologists have claimed that they have unearthed a prehistoric creature trapped in a stone. The ancient animal has a pincer-tipped nose, sharp needle-teeth and eyes on a slim stalk. It has been dubbed: Tully monster.

For nearly 60 years, the bizarre Tullimonstrum gregarium fossils have been troubling paleontologists. So far, the creature hasn’t fit into any known major animal group.

As per a new report published in the journal of Nature this week, scientists think they have solved the Tully monster mystery and its position on the tree of life.

The fossils have been found in a 300-million-year-old rock. They were discovered by the dozens in 1958 with in Illinois coalmines.

The biggest fossil was just a foot long. The scientists re-examined the ancient fossils, and came to know that the Tully monster was in reality a vertebrate as it possessed a rudimentary spinal cord. For better understanding of the form of the Tully monster, the scientists examined 1,200 specimens.

After bringing together the pieces of clues regarding the way the muscles of the creature decayed and other characteristics, the scientists have concluded that the animal was possibly an eel-like creature that was quite like present day bloodsucking lamprey, which is a fish that doesn’t have jaws, and have a funnel-like sucking mouth with sharp teeth.

Many features of the Tully monster are similar to the lamprey, but the ancient creature still has some unique traits to its anatomy, like its small beady eyes over the stalk run around its head.

For such a long time, scientists have theorized that it could have been a segmented worm or a swimming slug. Such theories came into their minds because of the creature's wormlike body and other odd traits.