E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
Yie Jang (Yunnan University)
Scientists have unearthed a stunningly preserved arthropod, called a fuxhianhuiid, in a flipped position that reveals its feeding limbs and nervous system.
By Tia Ghose
LiveScience
Scientists have unearthed extraordinarily preserved fossils of a 520-million-year-old sea creature, one of the earliest animal fossils ever found, according to a new study.
The fossilized animal, an arthropod called a fuxhianhuiid, has primitive limbs under its head, as well as the earliest example of a nervous system that extended past the head. The primitive creature may have used the limbs to push food into its mouth as it crept across the seafloor. The limbs may shed light on the evolutionary history of arthropods, which include crustaceans and insects.
"Since biologists rely heavily on organization of head appendages to classify arthropod groups, such as insects and spiders, our study provides a crucial reference point for reconstructing the evolutionary history and relationships of the most diverse and abundant animals on Earth," said study co-author Javier Ortega-Hernández, an earth scientist at the University of Cambridge, in a statement. "This is as early as we can currently see into arthropod limb development."
The findings were published Wednesday in the journal Nature.
Primordial animal
The fuxhianhuiid lived nearly 50 million years before animals first emerged from the sea onto land, during the early part of the Cambrian explosion, when simple multicellular organisms rapidly evolved into complex sea life. [See Images of the Wacky Cambrian Creatures ]
While paleontologists have unearthed previous examples of a fuxhianhuiid before, the fossils were all found in the head-down position, with their delicate internal organs obscured by a large carapace or shell.
However, when Ortega-Hernández and his colleagues began excavating in a fossil-rich region of southwest China around Kunming called Xiaoshiba, they unearthed several specimens of fuxhianhuiid where the bodies had been flipped before fossilization. All told, the team unearthed an amazingly preserved arthropod, as well as eight additional specimens.
These primeval creatures probably spent most of their days crawling across the seabed trawling for food and may have also been able to swim short distances. The sea creatures, some of the earliest arthropods or jointed animals, probably evolved from worms with legs.
The discovery sheds light on how some of the earliest ancestors of today's animals may have evolved.
"These fossils are our best window to see the most primitive state of animals as we know them – including us," Ortega-Hernández said in a statement. "Before that there is no clear indication in the fossil record of whether something was an animal or a plant – but we are still filling in the details, of which this is an important one."
Follow Tia Ghose on Twitter @tiaghose or LiveScience @livescience. We're also on Facebook and Google+.
- 25 Amazing Ancient Beasts
- Image Gallery: Ancient Monsters of the Sea
- Marine Marvels: Spectacular Photos of Sea Creatures
Copyright 2013 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Leave a Comment:
Just how was the age determined carbon 14 dating perhaps? Potassium/Argon? Or are they just guessing?
They read the date on the tombstone, died 4,997,987 bc.
On rock strate of that age potassium/argon is typically used for dating. Carbon 14 cannot be used on rocks that old because the radioactive carbon half-life is too short.
Sometimes when other fossils with known ages are present it is possible to know the age of the rock without performing radiometric age dating.
I hope this answer helps more than the one provided by starbuck49.
Somebody better tell the Christians so they can adjust their propaganda.
Are you the one who is spreading all this propaganda about Christians? Shame on you.
Wait,wait, this can't be true... My pastor said that the earth is only 6 thousand years old.... Oh, my.
I thought this was going to be about a really old watch...
Probably died from "climate change"
A lot of species have, over the years.
How do they really know how old it is. Didn't "they" create the "timing tool" "aging tool" So, if they created the instrument, can't they make it do whatever they want it to do? Who really knows how old anything is? Isn't it all a mathematical guess or conclusion based on man's thinking. I don't understand the importance. We spend more time and money guessing that we do on reality. People are hungry, sick, hurting, homeless, and near death. That's what we should be focusing on.
How do they really know how old it is.
They read the date on the tombstone.
"They" created the tool specifically to find the date. If "they" could just make it say whatever "they" wanted to, then it would be a worthless tool for aging fossils and other "they"s (here meaning other scientists not in on their pointless deception) would call "them" out on it.
If you're worried about hungry, sick, homeless people, etc., then YOU go work at a charity. Scientists get their degrees to do research, not run soup kitchens.
Just because YOU don't understand/approve of science or the importance of adding to the sum total of human knowledge doesn't make it any less critical if we're actually going to advance as a civilization.
It is a worthless tool created by a bunch of people that want to be recognized for something that matters NOT! I do not know you, but I do volunteer at a soup kitchen. Do you? By the way, I never said I disapprove of Science. I find it entertaining. As far as advancing a a civilazation, I would offer that we have advanced to the degree of self centeredness, uncaring, and lacking when it comes to things that do matter (people). With respect.
What respect? I don't see any. And SF Accountant - I love your succinct and well-written posts. I suppose Chambley expects everyone to devote all their time to the service of others - no knowledge, however arcane or bizarre, is ever wasted.
Our attempts (and eventual success) in reaching our moon gave us many of the scientific conveniences you use today, Chambley. Don't knock science. Rather than helping in a single food kitchen, scientists (who have an interest in such things) can (and have) discover and create things that help sometimes millions of your fellow humans. While I laud your devotion to help those less fortunate than yourself, denigrating the science that lets you do so is beneath you.
They know the age of the rock it has been found in. That really helps.
If they wanted to be recognized, they probably should have chosen a more glamorous subject matter than paleontology. It's an obscure field that gets far less attention and funding than fields such as chemistry, applied phsyics, and bio-engineering. But it still matters a great deal because it tells us about the origins of life. I can't imagine that someone could honestly have zero interest in that, but if you do, whatever. That's on you.
Nope. It's nice that you're so concerned for those less fortunate, but it's rather condescending to expect everyone else to do the same, to the extent of wanting trained and dedicated scientists to drop their study of ancient history and contribute to the feeding of homeless people. If your life revolves around aiding human suffering, that's good for you. Some people's lives happen to resolve around learning as much as we can from really old rocks.
And now, in addition to all that tripe from your self-righteous rant, we've also advanced our knowledge in ancient entomology! See? Everyone wins!
Chambley, scientists are having way too much fun playing with fossils in the dirt to pay attention to those kinds of things. Why don't you simply ask your god to help?
It would have been VERY difficult for Noah to get two of these creatures for his Ark, maybe I will NOW dispute the bible after all...LOL
P.S., there is currently one of these fine specimens on EBAY for "buy it now" $19.95, and it is made in CHINA..
Those crafty Chinese make just about EVERYTHING! LOL
We ALL know who built the ARK! It was Bill Cosby!
We've seen these before. Where are the ones in between this one & now? As evolution is taught as fact then where are all the different stages in between? We never find tweens of any life form. There should be gazillions of tweens compared to the earliest vs the now.
We have thousands of in-between stages in the fossil record. Whoever told you different was simply lying.
So, you've never heard of "Lucy"? Or Neanderthals? Granted, the latter was more of a separate evolutionary branch that died out, but it's still an example of the many, many fossil records of species that exist between the origins of life and modern homo sapien.
Evolution, being a relatively slow process, never stops. We still see it today - or we would if we hadn't "advanced" so far that we can now keep our evolutionary "mistakes" alive. And reproducing.
Not that I have any intention of giving up what science has provided me!! ;)
I know it's difficult for people who stashed all their emotional eggs in a basket consisting of believing in the myths of a fictional book like the bible, and no one likes having that basket knocked out of their hand by objective, scientific truth, causing all those eggs to smash. It's a hard thing to clean up that mess. But it can be done - hundreds of millions have done it and now they are happier and emotionally healthier because of it.
There are thousands of intermediate fossils. Do a little research and the truth will make you free.
It really gets me that people who complain about evolution being taught as a fact want the Bible to be taught as a fact. Given that there are some accurate historical points in the Bible, most of it consists of stories and lessons, or stories and lessons using historical events as backdrops. Movies and novels use the same technique.
I would like to see a 520 million old Scientist or the written records of such things as this old. I want facts, not theories. I don't believe carbon is accurate or any other artificial dating.Now let me hear all of the comments of those who have so much education they have lost their sense and almost gone mad. Much learning has made them mad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yuo may think physics is "mad," but most people would disagree.
You DO realize that your stated standards of evidence are literally impossible, right? You won't believe anything unless it's properly categorized and recorded via techniques that are younger than human civilization? Then anything that didn't happen before the invention of writing and reading basically didn't exist to you.
Also, if learning things makes you mad, I do hope you seek psychiatric help. That sounds like an awful mental condition, and I wish you a swift and complete recovery from your disorder.
Wow...they have found the first know relative of Obama! I can tell by the many appendages used to grab at everything around to use for self preservation (cause to hell with the world, it will be eventually be gone/extinct) and leaving the remnants for the ignorant and lazy, flea like creatures that follow it!!!!
HOW do they know it is 520 million years old.... ? carbon dating don't work on objects that old... ... Oh, and also, how can they tell how old rocks are since they don't have carbon in them for carbon dating ... ???
There are at least 40 different kinds of radiometric dating besides carbon dating. 520 million years can be dated quite precisely (within less than 1%)
My pastor says this is a Liberal conspiracy from some atheist scientists. My pastor thinks Sarah Palin is intelligent too.
anthonyvet --- i believe sarah palin is smarter than that creature, but not a whole lot more. the creature could possibly even beat her in a game of checkers.
Why is he still your pastor? I hope you're keeping him around just for laughs.
Who's Sarah Palin?
Things will be discovered and revealed when it is time. Hold on......this is going to be a bumpy journey! Things that we thought were true will be proven wrong......and the same in reverse.
We have had it wrong all along.............my friends!
Some of what we think is true is proved wrong, but most is not. We constantly aquire more confidence in our kowledge about more things.
Things that we thought were true are proven wrong all the time, but the reverse is quite rare.
Also I assume that "when it is time" is an unnecessarily vague way of referring to the completion of the temporal recorder device, which will allow us to piece together fragmented light spectrums from throughout history and visually check on and confirm our scientific theories. Because there's no other way that "things" are going to be suddenly and comprehensively figured out.
SF - hug... don't tell them about the light spectrums yet.... They're heads will pop :)
My pastor also said Dick Cheney is a war hero. And that Obama is the anti-Christ,and a Kenyon,Marist,Communist Terrorist. My pastor knows all and has two way conversations with God as he speaks in tongues while handling snakes.
Maybe you should MC the Academy Awards next year with your pastor as the the co-hostess. Should be very entertaining. You are funny and your comments made me laugh. Take care......being around those snakes!!
It's called mentally ill.How come God only speaks to weirdos?He must believe in talking snakes too.Women made from ribs.Worst of all is that we all come from Adam and Eve which means incest.
Sure looks like cheney.
Palin will try to eat it.
George Bush talks to God all the time, he said God told him to attack IRAQ!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2005/oct/07/iraq.usa
I do not believe for a single second that we have the technology to date anything that old, and not cure the most common form of cancer, or cure some of the most basic of diseases. I love science, there is not a doubt in my mind whats so ever this planet is millions of years old, in and out of water hundreds of times. Everyday Science is correcting itself on its ablilty to 'date' rocks, fossills, and human remains. That little bug is so well preserved it looks like it could have been a much more current fossil... just saying...
Believe what yuo want, but they can actually date these things quite precisely.
We actually can "cure" many forms of cancer. You've never heard of chemotherapy treatments?
Not that one has anything to do with the other. Why does our progress in medical science and pharmacueticals reflect upon our progress in paleontology technologies?
Actually, the Earth is approximately 4.5 Billion years based on radiometric (not carbon) dating. Life appeared about 3.5 Billion years ago as cyanobacteria (stromatolites).
Wait!George Bush once said the earth was only 6000 years old.DER!
520 million year old? HAPPY BIRTHDAY
need a new exciting fossil to prove evolution to all the non-believers?? Why not Zoidberg??
No fossil is ever going to prove anything to people who don't understand evolution and are afraid of science. Evidence is not the issue.
indeed
the earth is 4.7 billion years old ,it took a while before I knew what I wanted to do with it .
Probably got wiped out by a prehistoric civilization which burned gas and Al Gore wasn't around to save them.
Yes, climate change has been the cause of many extinctions throughout time. So? Please keep your politics out of the science section.
I have a hard time believing that a distinct entity know as Satan exists. There are many truly evil people walking the Earth.
The most evil one lives in the White House.
Mmm. Sushi!