The earliest fossil evidence of childcare behavior

Scientists found the earliest evidence of animal-taking behavior of animals found in fossils dating back 520 million years ago.

More than half a billion years ago, when a primitive shrimp-like creature with the scientific name Fuxianhuia protensa was swimming in the sand on the ocean floor with children, they were all buried in sediment. Now, 520 million years later, the body of this arthropod provides strong evidence for the earliest child care behavior in animal history, according to research published in the journal bioRxiv.

An individual Fuxianhuia protensa mother is protecting young children from predators.(Photo: Dong-Jing Fu).

The research team at Northwestern University in China discovered fossils of the ancient Fuxianhuia protensa at the Chiungchussu Geological Formation in Kunming, southern China. Chiungchussu formation formed in the early stages of the Cambrian period. At that time, the ocean was dominated by mollusks, so the animals were less likely to be preserved in fossil records. This is why fossils discovered in the Chiungchussu formation are very important.

The special thing around fossils of adult individuals appears 4 much smaller fossils. After carefully examining the morphological characteristics, the researchers confirmed four smaller fossils that are adults of adults.

Fuxianhuia protensa fossils were discovered in China.(Photo: Dong Jing Fu).

By counting the number of burns in the animal's body, scientists deduce that they are the same age. This increases the likelihood of all four Fuxianhuia protensa being born in the same age and they are buried at the same time.

This is a convincing fossil evidence that the original arthropods actually took care of their children .