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
Beijing launches 22 tourist routes for ice and snow activities
(People's Daily Online) 10:56, December 01, 2021In its bid to integrate snow and ice sports with cul2024-05-07IDC: China's GenAI sector investment surges
Driven by rapid technological advancement, China is expected to see a compound annual growth rate (C2024-05-07China's generative AI firms rush to enter commercialization amid domestic innovation
Domestic AI start-ups show strength, potential amid global competitionKimi chatbot, a large language2024-05-07Women attend Liang Bu fair in Dangjiu Village, S China
Women attend a "Liang Bu" fair held in Dangjiu Village in Gandong Township of Rongshui Miao Autonom2024-05-07In pics: Snow Town scenic spot in Hailin City, Heilongjiang
This aerial photo taken on Dec. 14, 2022 shows a view of the Snow Town scenic spot in Hailin City in2024-05-07Palestinian girls practice Chinese martial arts in West Bank
Palestinian girls attend a class of Chinese martial arts at Sport Plus Academy in the West Bank city2024-05-07
atest comment