Treasure trove of 500-millionn-year-old Cambrian fossil molluscs unveiled in Queensland, Australia

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margin-bottom-1"> <nav aria-label="breadcrumbs" class="rank-math-breadcrumb"><p><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com">Cosmos</a><span class="separator"> » </span><a href="/history/palaeontology/">Palaeontology</a></p></nav> <section class="article-container cols-4 md-cols-1 cols-gap-1 padding-bottom-4"> <article class="col col-span-3 post-298799 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-palaeontology category-animals category-australia category-biology category-evolution category-history category-marine-life category-nature category-news tag-australian-palaeontology tag-cambrian-period tag-cephalopods tag-fossils tag-palaeontology"> <header class="rows rows-gap"> <h1 class="entry-title row">Explosion of Cambrian fossil molluscs unveiled in Australia</h1> <div class="row primary-image has-featured-image " data-featured-image="bitmap-2.jpg"> <img width="1200" height="675" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZpZXdCb3g9IjAgMCAxMjAwIDY3NSIgd2lkdGg9IjEyMDAiIGhlaWdodD0iNjc1IiBkYXRhLXU9IiUyRndwLWNvbnRlbnQlMkZ1cGxvYWRzJTJGMjAyNCUyRjAyJTJGYml0bWFwLTIuanBnIiBkYXRhLXc9IjEyMDAiIGRhdGEtaD0iNjc1IiBkYXRhLWJpcD0iIj48L3N2Zz4=" data-spai="1" class="feature-image wp caption" alt="curved shelled squid like cephalopod on blue background" loading="eager" decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" /><noscript data-spai="1"><img width="1200" height="675" src="https://cdn.shortpixel.ai/spai/q_lossy+ret_img+to_auto/cosmosmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/bitmap-2.jpg" data-spai-egr="1" class="feature-image wp caption" alt="curved shelled squid like cephalopod on blue background" loading="eager" decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" srcset="https://cdn.shortpixel.ai/spai/q_lossy+ret_img+to_auto/cosmosmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/bitmap-2.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.shortpixel.ai/spai/q_lossy+ret_img+to_auto/cosmosmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/bitmap-2-600x338.jpg 600w, https://cdn.shortpixel.ai/spai/q_lossy+ret_img+to_auto/cosmosmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/bitmap-2-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.shortpixel.ai/spai/q_lossy+ret_img+to_auto/cosmosmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/bitmap-2-300x169.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></noscript> <div class="caption feature">Artist's reconstruction of Plectronoceras. Credit: Entelognathus via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).</div> </div> </header> <div class="entry-content cols-6 md-cols-1 cols-gap-1 margin-top-1"> <div class="content-left-sidebar cols-1 col"> <section class="contributors md-cols-1 rows-gap"> <div class="row post-date"> <span class="published-date">March 4, 2024</span> </div> <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/evrim-yazgin/" class="author row md-hide"> <img src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZpZXdCb3g9IjAgMCA0MDAgNDAwIiB3aWR0aD0iNDAwIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjQwMCIgZGF0YS11PSIlMkZ3cC1jb250ZW50JTJGdXBsb2FkcyUyRjIwMjIlMkYwOCUyRlRoZS1TY2llbmNlLUV4Y2hhbmdlLTI0LmpwZyIgZGF0YS13PSI0MDAiIGRhdGEtaD0iNDAwIiBkYXRhLWJpcD0iIj48L3N2Zz4=" data-spai="1" alt="Evrim Yazgin" width="200" /><noscript data-spai="1"><img src="https://cdn.shortpixel.ai/spai/q_lossy+ret_img+to_auto/cosmosmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/The-Science-Exchange-24.jpg" data-spai-egr="1" alt="Evrim Yazgin" width="200" /></noscript> <div class="bio"> <h3>Evrim Yazgin</h3> <p>Cosmos science journalist</p> </div> </a> <div id="author-name" class="hide"> <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/evrim-yazgin/" class="bio"> By Evrim Yazgin </a> </div> <div class="favourite__wrapper row cols"> <button class="showDialog simplefavorite-button" aria-label="Favourite button"> </button> </div> </section> </div> <div class="primary-content cols-1 col-span-5 col"> <div class="flexible-content "> <div class="copy"> <p>A treasure trove of 500-million-year-old fossils found in the Australian state of Queensland has been studied.</p> <p>The findings, <a href="https://peerj.com/articles/17003/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">published</a> in the journal <em>PeerJ</em>, sheds new light on the complex morphology of Plectronoceratids, an important group of molluscs from the late Cambrian period (539–485 million years ago).</p> <p>The Cambrian saw an evolutionary avalanche known as the “<a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/nature/rethinking-the-origins-of-complex-life/">Cambrian explosion</a>” in which all the basic animal body plans – like the shelled arthropod ancestors of today’s insects and first vertebrates which led to humans – emerged. It also saw the Plectronoceratida – Earth’s first shelled <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/nature/marine-life/cephalopod-genome-studies/">cephalopods</a>.</p> <p>Today, cephalopods include octopuses and squid, and shelled cephalopods like the nautilus and cuttlefish.</p> <p>Plectronoceratida is believed to be the ancestor of all subsequent cephalopod groups. They are characterised by cone-shaped shells which were either straight or slightly curved. Though very little is known about the tip or opening of the shells due to sparse and broken fossils.</p> <div class="in-content-area related-box-wrapper content-third content-right margin-bottom-1"> <div class="gradient-title">Read More</div> <ul class="related-box article-listing"> <li class="cols"> <div class="article article-post"> <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/history/archaeology/pre-roman-human-animal-burials/" class="thumbnail ar-16-9" aria-label="Article link"> <span data-spai-bg-on="1" class="image" style="background-image: url(data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZpZXdCb3g9IjAgMCAxMjAwIDY3NyIgd2lkdGg9IjEyMDAiIGhlaWdodD0iNjc3IiBkYXRhLXU9Imh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGY29zbW9zbWFnYXppbmUuY29tJTJGd3AtY29udGVudCUyRnVwbG9hZHMlMkYyMDI0JTJGMDIlMkZwZXJpbmF0ZS1idXJpYWwuanBnIiBkYXRhLXc9IjEyMDAiIGRhdGEtaD0iNjc3IiBkYXRhLWJpcD0iIj48L3N2Zz4=)"></span> </a> <div class="article-content has-very-light-grey-background-color"> <a href="/history/archaeology/"> <span class="category history-color"> Archaeology </span> </a> <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/history/archaeology/pre-roman-human-animal-burials/"> <h3>Mysterious pre-Roman human-animal burials require further digging</h3> </a> </div> </div> </li> </ul> </div> <p>While these creatures were usually tiny, their ancestors would become massive.</p> <div class="advert ad-in-content ad-mobile auh-250"><div id="adn-00000000001fc2ca-i0p0" style="display: none"></div></div> <p><em>Endoceras</em>, straight-shelled cephalopods which lived about 485–419 million years ago, are the longest known extinct cephalopods measuring up to 6 metres or more. <em>Parapuzosia</em> is an extinct type of ammonite (similar to today’s nautilus) which lived during the ‘Age of the Dinosaurs’ and could grow to a diameter of about 2 metres.</p> <p>The largest cephalopod is the modern giant squid. The biggest of these mysterious deep-sea creatures measured approximately 13 metres.</p> <a href="https://link.cosmosmagazine.com/OP59" class="newsletter-cta" data-device="mobile"> <img decoding="async" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZpZXdCb3g9IjAgMCAzMDAgMjUwIiB3aWR0aD0iMzAwIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjI1MCIgZGF0YS11PSIlMkZ3cC1jb250ZW50JTJGdXBsb2FkcyUyRjIwMjQlMkYwMyUyRldlZWtseS1DYXRjaHVwLTMwMHgyNTAtMS5wbmciIGRhdGEtdz0iMzAwIiBkYXRhLWg9IjI1MCIgZGF0YS1iaXA9IiI+PC9zdmc+" data-spai="1" alt="Newsletter" title="explosion of cambrian fossil molluscs unveiled in australia 1"><noscript data-spai="1"><img decoding="async" src="https://cdn.shortpixel.ai/spai/q_lossy+ret_img+to_auto/cosmosmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Weekly-Catchup-300x250-1.png" data-spai-egr="1" alt="Newsletter" title="explosion of cambrian fossil molluscs unveiled in australia 1"></noscript> </a> <p>More than 200 exquisitely preserved Plectronoceratid specimens are included in the latest analysis. This surpasses the total of all other Plectronoceratids studied previously.</p> <p>The fossils were found at Black Mountain, 1,400 km northwest of the Queensland state capital Brisbane. They were unearthed in the 1970s and ‘80s by the late Australian palaeontologist Mary Wade.</p> <p>This new analysis focused on the three-dimensional structure of the molluscs’ siphuncle – the strand of tissue which passes along the length of a cephalopod’s shell. The team examined the tiny ancient structures using 3D reconstructions including micro-CT scanning.</p> <div class="advert ad-in-content ad-mobile auh-250"><div id="adn-00000000001fc2ca-i1p0" style="display: none"></div></div> <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" width="800" height="473" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZpZXdCb3g9IjAgMCA4MDAgNDczIiB3aWR0aD0iODAwIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjQ3MyIgZGF0YS11PSIlMkZ3cC1jb250ZW50JTJGdXBsb2FkcyUyRjIwMjQlMkYwMiUyRmJsYWNrLW1vdW50YWluLXVudmVpbHMtMS5qcGciIGRhdGEtdz0iODAwIiBkYXRhLWg9IjQ3MyIgZGF0YS1iaXA9IiI+PC9zdmc+" data-spai="1" alt="Cambrian shell cephalopod fossils on black background" class="wp-image-298801" title="explosion of cambrian fossil molluscs unveiled in australia 2" ><noscript data-spai="1"><img decoding="async" width="800" height="473" src="https://cdn.shortpixel.ai/spai/q_lossy+ret_img+to_auto/cosmosmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/black-mountain-unveils-1.jpg" data-spai-egr="1" alt="Cambrian shell cephalopod fossils on black background" class="wp-image-298801" title="explosion of cambrian fossil molluscs unveiled in australia 2" srcset="https://cdn.shortpixel.ai/spai/q_lossy+ret_img+to_auto/cosmosmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/black-mountain-unveils-1.jpg 800w, https://cdn.shortpixel.ai/spai/q_lossy+ret_img+to_auto/cosmosmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/black-mountain-unveils-1-600x355.jpg 600w, https://cdn.shortpixel.ai/spai/q_lossy+ret_img+to_auto/cosmosmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/black-mountain-unveils-1-768x454.jpg 768w, https://cdn.shortpixel.ai/spai/q_lossy+ret_img+to_auto/cosmosmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/black-mountain-unveils-1-300x177.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"></noscript><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">All specimens whitened with NH4Cl. Credit: PeerJ (2024). DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17003.</figcaption></figure> <p>A new species <em>Sinoeremoceras marywadeae</em>, named in honor of Mary Wade, has unusual features which add to the cephalopod evolutionary tree.</p> <p>First author Dr Alexander Pohle, from the Ruhr University Bochum in Germany, pays tribute to Mary Wade.</p> <p>“Would it not be for her, these faunas would still largely be unknown,” Pohle says.</p> <p>The study deepens our understanding of Earth’s ancient oceans which were the birthplace of life as we know it today.</p> <div style><a href="https://link.cosmosmagazine.com/JP4n"><p align="center"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-198773" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZpZXdCb3g9IjAgMCA3MjggMTUwIiB3aWR0aD0iNzI4IiBoZWlnaHQ9IjE1MCIgZGF0YS11PSIlMkZ3cC1jb250ZW50JTJGdXBsb2FkcyUyRjIwMjMlMkYxMSUyRkNvc21vcy1DYXRjaC1VcC1lbWJlZF83Mjh4MTUwLTEuanBnIiBkYXRhLXc9IjcyOCIgZGF0YS1oPSIxNTAiIGRhdGEtYmlwPSIiPjwvc3ZnPg==" 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<p>Originally published by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com" style="font-style:italic;">Cosmos</a> as <a title="Explosion of Cambrian fossil molluscs unveiled in Australia" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/history/palaeontology/cambrian-fossil-molluscs-australia/" id="cosmos-post-url">Explosion of Cambrian fossil molluscs unveiled in Australia</a></p>  </div> <div class="article-sharing"> <ul class="cols"> <li> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcosmosmagazine.com%2Fhistory%2Fpalaeontology%2Fcambrian-fossil-molluscs-australia%2F" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" title="Share on Facebook" onclick="window.open('https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcosmosmagazine.com%2Fhistory%2Fpalaeontology%2Fcambrian-fossil-molluscs-australia%2F'); return false;" class="primary-svg-fill-hover"> <svg width="30" height="30"> <g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <circle cx="15" cy="15" r="14" stroke="#FFF" stroke-width="2"/> <path fill="#FFF" 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Treasure trove of 500-millionn-year-old Cambrian fossil molluscs unveiled in Queensland, Australia