Here's why:
* Maclurites was a genus of ancient, extinct sea snails that lived in the Ordovician period, about 485 to 443 million years ago. They were a type of gastropod, meaning they were related to snails and slugs.
* Fossils are the preserved remains of ancient organisms. When a Maclurites died, its shell was buried in sediment and fossilized over millions of years.
So, while the Maclurites fossil represents an extinct animal, it doesn't belong to any animal living today.
