Funisia

Funisia
Temporal range: Ediacaran
Funisia specimens, as illustrated in the original article.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: incertae sedis
Genus: Funisia
Species: F. dorothea

Funisia is a genus containing the single species F. dorothea, a fossil upright worm-like animal from the Ediacaran biota.[1] Funisia stood about 0.3 metres tall.[2][3][4] Because individuals grew in dense collections of animals the same age, it is believed to have reproduced sexually.[3] Although the evolution of sex took place before the origin of animals, and evidence of sexual reproduction is observed in red algae 1,200 million years ago,[5] Funisia is one of the oldest known animals for which there is evidence of sexual reproduction.[4] Its relationship to other animals is unknown, but it may belong within the Porifera (sponges) or Cnidaria.[1] The genus and species were described in a 2008 paper.[1]

Etymology

The generic name Funisia is after the Latin "Rope", and is pronounced to rhyme with Tunisia, rather than the more fitting "fun is 'ere".[6] The name dorothea is in honor of Dorothy Droser, the mother of Dr. Mary Droser, one of the scientists who studied the organism. [2]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Mary L. Droser and James G. Gehling (21 March 2008). "Synchronous Aggregate Growth in an Abundant New Ediacaran Tubular Organism". Science. 319 (5870): 1660–1662. PMID 18356525. doi:10.1126/science.1152595.
  2. 1 2 Smith, Lewis (March 21, 2008). "Fossil sheds light on the history of sex". London: The Times. Retrieved 2010-05-03.
  3. 1 2 "Early life on Earth - no predators, plenty of sex". Reuters. Published March 21, 2008 12:45 AM. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. 1 2 "Research shows Earth's earliest animal ecosystem was complex and included sexual reproduction". March 20, 2008. Source: University of California - Riverside via physorg.com
  5. ↑ Butterfield, N. J. (2000-09-01). "Bangiomorpha pubescens n. gen., n. sp.: implications for the evolution of sex, multicellularity, and the Mesoproterozoic/Neoproterozoic radiation of eukaryotes". Paleobiology. 26 (3): 386–404. ISSN 0094-8373. doi:10.1666/0094-8373(2000)026<0386:BPNGNS>2.0.CO;2. Retrieved 2007-05-21.
  6. ↑ Supporting online material
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