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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
agricultural and biological sciences
The first animals: Ca. 760-million-year-old sponge-like fossils from Namibia
South African Journal of Science, Volume 108, No. 1-2, Year 2012
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Description
One of the most profound events in biospheric evolution was the emergence of animals, which is thought to have occurred some 600-650 Ma. Here we report on the discovery of phosphatised body fossils that we interpret as ancient sponge-like fossils and term them Otavia antiqua gen. et sp. nov. The fossils are found in Namibia in rocks that range in age between about 760 Ma and 550 Ma. This age places the advent of animals some 100 to 150 million years earlier than proposed, and prior to the extreme climatic changes and postulated stepwise increases in oxygen levels of Ediacaran time. These findings support the predictions based on genetic sequencing and inferences drawn from biomarkers that the first animals were sponges. Further, the deposition and burial of Otavia as sedimentary particles may have driven the large positive C-isotopic excursions and increases in oxygen levels that have been inferred for Neoproterozoic time. © 2012. The Authors.
Authors & Co-Authors
Brain, Charles K.Bob
South Africa, Pretoria
Ditsong Museums of South Africa
Prave, Anthony R.
United Kingdom, St Andrews
University of st Andrews
Hoffmann, Karl Heinz
Namibia, Windhoek
Geological Survey of Namibia
Fallick, Anthony Edward
United Kingdom, East Kilbride
Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre
Botha, Andre J.
South Africa, Pretoria
University of Pretoria
Herd, Donald A.
United Kingdom, St Andrews
University of st Andrews
Sturrock, Craig J.
United Kingdom, Nottingham
University of Nottingham
Young, Iain M.
Australia, Armidale
University of new England Australia
Condon, Dan J.
United Kingdom, Swindon
Natural Environment Research Council
Allison, Stuart G.
United Kingdom, St Andrews
University of st Andrews
Statistics
Citations: 80
Authors: 10
Affiliations: 8
Identifiers
Doi:
10.4102/sajs.v108i1/2.658
ISSN:
00382353
e-ISSN:
19967489
Research Areas
Environmental
Genetics And Genomics
Study Locations
Namibia