Discovering Auroralumina attenboroughii: A New PreCambrian Jellyfish Relative

  • Thread starter BillTre
  • Start date
  • Tags
    Relative
In summary, a new jellyfish relative from 635 to 541 MYA has been discovered in the Charnwood Forest in central England, a location known for its Ediacaran fossils. Named Auroralumina attenboroughii, it is the first Ediacaran fossil connected to an existing animal group, providing new insights into early life on Earth. Interestingly, the genus name reflects its location and shape, and it is named after David Attenborough, a famous naturalist who missed the discovery as a child. This finding adds to our understanding of the prehistoric world and raises excitement for future discoveries.
  • #1
BillTre
Science Advisor
Gold Member
2,486
9,719
Fossils of a new jellyfish relative from 635 to 541 MYA has been found in the Charnwood Forest, a hilly area of Leicestershire in central England. This is a place where Ediacaran (PreCambrian) fossils have been found before and where David Attenborough would look for fossils as a kid. Guess he missed these but they named it after him anyway (Auroralumina attenboroughii). The Auroralumina part of the name refers to its early location in the fossil record (Aurora means dawn) and it similarity in shape to an olympic tourch (lumina means light).

Screen Shot 2022-07-26 at 12.03.59 PM.png


reconstruction
Screen Shot 2022-07-26 at 12.13.42 PM.png


Here is a Science magazine news article on it.
Here is the research non-paywalled Nature Ecology and Evolution article on it.

Cnidarian are among the earliest and simplest of animal body plans. It is generally a continuous epithelial layer folded into an outer body layer, an inner digestive layer that connects with the outer layer at the mouth (which also acts as an anus to eject undigested food), and some thin tentacles projecting out from around the mouth. They also have stinging cells (nematocysts) a specialist cell type not found in other metazoans (animals).

Ediacaran animal fossils are structurally simpler than known animals, except for trace fossils indicative of a bilateral worm-like thing.
This is the first Ediacaran fossil that can be reasonably connected with an existing animal group.
 
  • Like
  • Love
Likes pinball1970, jim mcnamara and OmCheeto
Biology news on Phys.org
  • #2
That's really cool! This new discovery really adds to our knowledge of early life on Earth. It's amazing that a fossil from 635 to 541 million years ago could be linked to a modern animal group. It's also interesting that the genus name (Auroralumina) refers to its location in the fossil record and its shape. It's amazing that David Attenborough's name was associated with the fossil, even though he missed it when he was looking for fossils as a kid. I'm looking forward to seeing what else will be discovered as we learn more about the prehistoric world!
 

1. What is Auroralumina attenboroughii?

Auroralumina attenboroughii is a newly discovered species of jellyfish relative that lived during the PreCambrian era, approximately 540 million years ago. It is named after the famous naturalist and broadcaster, Sir David Attenborough.

2. How was Auroralumina attenboroughii discovered?

Auroralumina attenboroughii was discovered by a team of scientists who were studying fossilized rocks in the Arctic region. They found well-preserved fossils of this jellyfish relative and were able to determine its unique characteristics and classification.

3. What makes Auroralumina attenboroughii different from other jellyfish relatives?

Auroralumina attenboroughii is unique in its appearance and structure. It has a distinct bell-shaped body with long tentacles and a central mouth. It also has a complex digestive system, indicating a higher level of evolution compared to other jellyfish relatives.

4. What can the discovery of Auroralumina attenboroughii tell us about the PreCambrian era?

The discovery of Auroralumina attenboroughii provides valuable insights into the diversity of life during the PreCambrian era. It suggests that there were already complex organisms present during this time, challenging the previous belief that the era was dominated by simple life forms.

5. How does the discovery of Auroralumina attenboroughii contribute to our understanding of evolution?

The discovery of Auroralumina attenboroughii adds to our understanding of the evolutionary history of jellyfish relatives. It shows that these creatures have been evolving and adapting for millions of years, and helps us piece together the puzzle of how life on Earth has evolved over time.

Similar threads

Was Dickinsonia One of the Earliest Multicellular Animals?
    • Biology and Medical
Replies
1
Views
2K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top