Helicolocellus Sponge Fossil Discovered in 550-Million-Year-Old Shibantan Biota, Yichang
2024-06-22 21:06:10
Translator and English Editor: Chen Zai
Chinese and foreign researchers have discovered a new type of large sponge fossil considered be a milestone in understanding animal evolution.
The sponge fossil Helicolocellus was discovered by scientists from the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and researchers from the University of Cambridge, UK, and Virginia Tech, USA. This fossil was unearthed in Yichang’s Shibantan Biota which dates back approximately 550 million years.
Chinese and foreign researchers have discovered a new type of large sponge fossil considered be a milestone in understanding animal evolution.
The sponge fossil Helicolocellus was discovered by scientists from the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and researchers from the University of Cambridge, UK, and Virginia Tech, USA. This fossil was unearthed in Yichang’s Shibantan Biota which dates back approximately 550 million years.
Reflected light photograph (a) and laser scanning image (b) of the Helicolocellus sponge fossil
Photo provided by Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Photo provided by Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Modern molecular biology research and molecular clock estimates suggest that Helicolocellus originated around 700 million years ago.
Reconstruction of the Helicolocellus sponge and its ecological context. Illustration by Yang Dinghua, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
"Helicolocellus could become an important milestone in understanding animal evolution", said Yuan Xunlai, a researcher at the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology.
