Complete sponge fossil dating back to 540 mln years found in central China's Hunan
Chinese researchers have recently unearthed a well-preserved large sponge fossil that dates back to approximately 540 million years ago in the city of Changde, central China's Hunan Province, according to the Hunan Museum of Geology.
Described as a rare finding from the early Cambrian era, this sponge fossil holds immense scientific significance, offering invaluable insights into the early evolution of sponge animals, said Tong Guanghui, an associate researcher at the museum.
Measuring 4 cm in height and 3.5 cm in width at its broadest point, the sponge fossil exhibits a remarkable state of preservation, with the entire framework composed of siliceous spicules on the slate being meticulously conserved, he said.
"The discovery indicates that the ocean at that time already possessed a high level of primary productivity, with abundant planktonic organisms capable of supporting the survival of large sponges," he said. "It is probably that numerous other species also inhabited the ocean during that period, and future field investigations may confirm this speculation."
As the most primitive multicellular animals, sponges have appeared in the Earth's oceans approximately 600 million years ago. They attach themselves to sediments on the seabed, obtaining food from the seawater that flows past them.
Related articles
Boy is fighting for his life after being hit by a mini motorbike in a Warwickshire field
A young child has been left fighting for his life with serious head injuries after he was struck by2024-05-29City Helps Women Find Jobs Near Home
Contact Us HomeNewsHighlightACWF NewsSocietyWom2024-05-29(CPC Congress) New CPC Leadership to Meet Press on Sunday
Contact Us HomeNewsHighlightACWF NewsSocietyWom2024-05-29Xi Exchanges Congratulations with Madagascar's President over 50th Anniversary of Diplomatic Ties
Contact Us HomeNewsHighlightACWF NewsSocietyWom2024-05-29America's dirtiest cities are revealed
It has earnt a reputation for its trash-filled, rat-riddled sidewalks but New York is not America's2024-05-29Exhibition Held to Promote Family Education, Family Tradition
Contact Us HomeNewsHighlightACWF NewsSocietyWom2024-05-29
atest comment