Birds do it. Bees do it. And over 541 million years ago, weird organisms that looked like armored carpets did it. Exactly how they did so, though, was a bit different from the ways we’re familiar with.
University of Cambridge paleontologist Emily Mitchell and colleagues were the ones to reconstruct how these puzzling species reproduced. They focused on a species from the Ediacaran period called Fractofusus. The fossil is a strange, branching frond preserved as flat impressions in the ancient sediment, but it’s so unlike anything alive today that scientists are still unsure whether it was an animal, a plant, or what. Nevertheless, by studying the geographic pattern of how these fossils are preserved across the rocks of Newfoundland, Canada, Mitchell and coauthors have been able to reconstruct how Fractofusus made more Fractofusus.
It wasn’t as simple as catching Fractofusus in The Act. This was still tens of millions before the earliest days of internal fertilization, after all. Rather, Mitchell and colleagues write, the clusters of Fractofusus are patterned in such a way that suggests they’re organized by reproductive factors rather than by currents or other environmental details.
The largest, and therefore oldest, Fractofusus seem to be arranged randomly in respect to each other. This may indicate that these were the first to colonize the habitat, initially carried as tiny “waterborne propagules” that then settled and grew. But from there, Mitchell and coauthors wrote, Fractofusus started doing something different.
The smallest Fractofusus, the researchers found, grouped around the medium-sized ones, which in turn clustered around the largest individuals. With no evidence of little buds or fragments coming off any of the fossils, Mitchell and colleagues suggest that this pattern belies reproduction and connection by a way of a stolon – a wispy “runner” that connects individuals into a kind of communal group. Marine invertebrates, such as some bryozoans, do this today, and, in the prehistoric case, the large Fractofusus would have sent out runners to produce a garden of little Ediacaran clones.
Reference:
Mitchell, E., Kenchington, C., Liu, A., Matthews, J., Butterfield, N. 2015. Reconstructing the reproductive mode of an Ediacaran macro-organism. Nature. doi: 10.1038/nature14646
Go Further
Animals
- This ‘saber-toothed’ salmon wasn’t quite what we thoughtThis ‘saber-toothed’ salmon wasn’t quite what we thought
- Why this rhino-zebra friendship makes perfect senseWhy this rhino-zebra friendship makes perfect sense
- When did bioluminescence evolve? It’s older than we thought.When did bioluminescence evolve? It’s older than we thought.
- Soy, skim … spider. Are any of these technically milk?Soy, skim … spider. Are any of these technically milk?
- This pristine piece of the Amazon shows nature’s resilienceThis pristine piece of the Amazon shows nature’s resilience
Environment
- This pristine piece of the Amazon shows nature’s resilienceThis pristine piece of the Amazon shows nature’s resilience
- Listen to 30 years of climate change transformed into haunting musicListen to 30 years of climate change transformed into haunting music
- This ancient society tried to stop El Niño—with child sacrificeThis ancient society tried to stop El Niño—with child sacrifice
- U.S. plans to clean its drinking water. What does that mean?U.S. plans to clean its drinking water. What does that mean?
History & Culture
- Séances at the White House? Why these first ladies turned to the occultSéances at the White House? Why these first ladies turned to the occult
- Gambling is everywhere now. When is that a problem?Gambling is everywhere now. When is that a problem?
- Beauty is pain—at least it was in 17th-century SpainBeauty is pain—at least it was in 17th-century Spain
- The real spies who inspired ‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’The real spies who inspired ‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’
- Heard of Zoroastrianism? The religion still has fervent followersHeard of Zoroastrianism? The religion still has fervent followers
Science
- Here's how astronomers found one of the rarest phenomenons in spaceHere's how astronomers found one of the rarest phenomenons in space
- Not an extrovert or introvert? There’s a word for that.Not an extrovert or introvert? There’s a word for that.
- NASA has a plan to clean up space junk—but is going green enough?NASA has a plan to clean up space junk—but is going green enough?
- Soy, skim … spider. Are any of these technically milk?Soy, skim … spider. Are any of these technically milk?
- Can aspirin help protect against colorectal cancers?Can aspirin help protect against colorectal cancers?
Travel
- What it's like to hike the Camino del Mayab in MexicoWhat it's like to hike the Camino del Mayab in Mexico
- Is this small English town Yorkshire's culinary capital?Is this small English town Yorkshire's culinary capital?
- Follow in the footsteps of Robin Hood in Sherwood ForestFollow in the footsteps of Robin Hood in Sherwood Forest
- This chef is taking Indian cuisine in a bold new directionThis chef is taking Indian cuisine in a bold new direction