OU Paleontologists Discover Exceptionally Preserved Soft Tissue in 450-Million-Year-Old Crinoid Fossil
Summary
Paleontologists at the University of Oklahoma have discovered exceptionally preserved soft tissue in a 450-million-year-old crinoid fossil. Crinoids, ancient relatives of starfish that resemble stalked sea flowers, were among the first creatures to flourish in Earth's earliest coral reefs. This rare "one in a million" find provides unprecedented insight into the biology and evolution of these early complex life forms, as soft tissues are almost never preserved in the fossilization process.
Source
bskyOU Paleontologists Discover Exceptionally Preserved Soft Tissue in 450-Million-Year-Old Crinoid Fossilou.eduKey quotes
· 3 pulledBefore the oldest dinosaur, before animals or even plants had expanded onto dry land, ancient relatives of starfish called crinoids, resembling stalked sea flowers, were among the first creatures to flourish in Earth's earliest coral reefs over 450 million years ago.
The study of fossilized crinoids helps scientists understand how these animals evolved and offers rare insight into the origins of complex life.
However typical fossilization preserves only the hardest parts of an animal, like shells or skeletal plates, leaving soft tissues and much of their biology a mystery.
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