1.63-billion-year-old multicellular eukaryotes from the Chuanlinggou Formation in North China.

ABSTRACT: Multicellularity is key to the functional and ecological success of the Eukarya, underpinning much of their modern diversity in both terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Despite the widespread occurrence of simple multicellular organisms among eukaryotes, when this innovation arose remains an open question. Here, we report cellularly preserved multicellular microfossils (Qingshania magnifica) from the ~1635-million-year-old Chuanlinggou Formation, North China. The fossils consist of large uniseriate, unbranched filaments with cell diameters up to 190 micrometers; spheroidal structures, possibly spores, occur within some cells. In combination with spectroscopic characteristics, the large size and morphological complexity of these fossils support their interpretation as eukaryotes, like

SUBMITTER: Miao L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10807817 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature