Scientists have discovered ''the platypus of the crab world''.

Bizarre on Female First

Bizarre on Female First

A newly found creature named Callichimarea perplexa - which literally means perplexing and references mythological Chinese hybrid the chimera which combines a lion, goat and snake - which lived 90 million years ago and had a shrimp-esque mouth, a lobster shell and socket-less eyes.

Javier Luque first found a fossil of the ''beautiful nightmare'' 14 years ago and led a study into what exactly it was.

He told Live Science: ''Callichimaera perplexa is so unique and strange that it can be considered the platypus of the crab world.

''It looked like a crab, but I thought it was more like a spider.''

He added: ''Usually we think of crabs as big animals with broad carapaces [shells], strong claws, small eyes in long eyestalks, and a small tail tucked under the body. Well, Callichimaera defies all of these 'crabby' features and forces a re-think of our definition of what makes a crab a crab.''