Terminal Developments in Ediacaran Embryology

Butterfield, N. J. (2011) Terminal Developments in Ediacaran Embryology. Science, 334 (6063). 1655 -1656. DOI https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1216125

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Abstract

Ever since Darwin there has been a disturbing void, both paleontological and psychological, at the base of the Phanerozoic eon. If his theory of gradualistic evolution be true, then surely the pre-Phanerozoic oceans must have swarmed with living animals—despite their conspicuous absence from the early fossil record. Thus, the 1998 report of fossilized animal embryos in the early Ediacaran Doushantuo Formation of South China (1) was met with almost palpable relief. It was indeed the fossil record that had let us down, not the textbooks, and certainly not the exciting new insights from molecular clocks. All was not as it seemed, however, and new data from Huldtgren et al. on page 1696 of this issue (2) look set to revoke the status of these most celebrated Ediacaran fossils.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	Users can directly access the paper without going through the Science Member Login screen by utilising the publisher links below. 1st link Summary 2nd link pdf: 3rd link HTML Full text:
Uncontrolled Keywords:	2011AREP; IA63;
Subjects:	04 - Palaeobiology
Divisions:	04 - Palaeobiology
Journal or Publication Title:	Science
Volume:	334
Page Range:	1655 -1656
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1216125
Depositing User:	Sarah Humbert
Date Deposited:	21 Jan 2012 15:49
Last Modified:	23 Jul 2013 10:03
URI:	http://eprints.esc.cam.ac.uk/id/eprint/2347

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