Revolutionary discovery: study indicates which was the first animal to exist in the world

An innovative study, recently published in the journal Naturerevealed a discovery extraordinary in the tree of animal life.

Have you ever heard about sea star fruit?

Sea star fruit, also known as comb jellyfish or ctenophores, have been identified as the first lineage of beings to branch out, a milestone that dates back to an impressive 600 to 700 million years ago.

Conducted by a team of scientists, the research employed a unique approach based on chromosomal structure to resolve a long-standing dispute in scientific community.

The crucial question of determining which animal group was the first to appear on the tree of life has finally been clarified thanks to this innovative methodology.

Given this, a thorough analysis of genes was essential to recognize sponges as the second animal lineage, a position that has long generated debate among scientists.

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Sponges and ctenophores were the main contenders, but the study’s findings now provide a definitive answer to this evolutionary unknown.

Understanding the relationships between these animal lineages allowed researchers to understand how fundamental biological characteristics, such as nervous systemmuscles and the digestive tract, have evolved over time.

Daniel Rokhsar, professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of California, highlighted the importance of these discoveries by stating:

“The most recent common ancestor of all animals probably lived about 600 or 700 million years ago. It’s difficult to know what they looked like because they were soft-bodied animals and didn’t leave a direct fossil record. But we can use comparisons between living animals to learn about our common ancestors.”

Ctenophores, marine creatures with gelatinous and transparent bodies that move using cilia, have been identified as the oldest links in this complex evolutionary web.

Chromosomal comparisons between different animals and non-animals were essential to reveal specific patterns of genes shared by ctenophores and non-animals. animalswhile sponges and other animals had different arrangements.

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Traces of this ancient evolutionary event remain evident in genomes of animals millions of years later, a discovery that reinforces our understanding of biological evolution.

Researcher Rokhsar highlighted the importance of this finding, mentioning:

“This discovery was crucial evidence – we identified some rearrangements shared between sponges and non-ctenophore animals. In contrast, ctenophores resembled non-animals. The simplest explanation is that ctenophores diverged before these rearrangements occurred.”

In a remarkable scientific feat, these revelations unravel the mysteries of animal evolution, providing fundamental insights into the origins of life on Earth. Earth.

The research not only reinforces the importance of sea star fruit in evolutionary history, but also highlights the vital role of scientific innovation in elucidating nature’s deepest enigmas.