Sponge fossils 600 million years

Chinese scientists found that the fossil fossil could help decipher the question of whether or not 600 million years ago Earth had an animal.

>> Discover the oldest animal Earth

The oldest primitive animal fossil was discovered

Sponge fossils date back at least 600 million years.(Photo: Xinhua).

According to the Global Times, scientists at the Center for Organism of Antiquities, Nanjing Institute of Geology, said on March 9 that new fossil fossils have been discovered that 600 million years ago, primitive animals appeared on Earth.

The bore animal, also known as sponges, is a primitive multicellular organism, has different tissues but does not have muscle, nervous system and internal organs or motor ability, most living in the sea.

According to scientists, this is the oldest primitive animal fossil found. This sponge fossil was found in the district of Ying An, Guizhou Province, China, with a volume of about 2-3 mm3.

Fossils located inside a piece of dolomite rock (dolomich phosphate), tubular, have three separate compartments, growing from one entity, each with its mouth facing up.

This organism has undergone pronounced cell differentiation, the appearance of epidermal cells and modern stem-cell-like cells. In addition, there are innumerable small holes between the epidermal cells, directly connected to the mouths of the chambers, forming a simple duct system, forming a metabolic channel between the sponge and the external environment.

" These biological characteristics show that sponges 600 million years ago were a primitive animal very similar to modern marine animals ," said Dr. An Tong Quan, co-author of the study.

Previously, it was discovered that the object is the fossil sponge in the Early Century Camri. Due to the absence of a cellular structure, as well as a pipeline system that satisfies the requirements of hydrodynamics, scientists do not recognize it as sponge fossils.

" Guizhou sponge fossils are preserved in perfect condition, retaining all cell structures and ductwork ," said An. " This discovery repels the discovery of fossils in the Early Century Camri for another 60 million years. Combined with the genealogy and molecular clock, we speculate, the ancestors of all animals appeared at least in the past. 600 million years ".