Time travel: meet beings who lived before the dinosaurs

There is animals older than dinosaurs, still present among us, as silent witnesses of past eras.

Scientists believe that dinosaurs roamed the Earth approximately 231 million years ago. But there are creatures that survive from even more ancient times, each of them carrying with them a unique part of the planet’s history.

Periods of the Earth

But first, we need to understand the Cambrian period. It is nothing more than a geological unit that extends from approximately 541 million to 485 million years ago.

It marks the beginning of the Paleozoic Era and is known for a significant event in the history of life on Earth.

During the Cambrian, the diversification and proliferation of multicellular life forms occurred, representing one of the most extraordinary episodes of biological evolution. And most of these creatures appeared during this period.

Living beings older than dinosaurs

5. Nautilus

Starting our journey with the nautilus, a cephalopod with a unique spiral shell. Belonging to the order Nautilida, the creature has existed since the beginning of the Cambrian period, more than 500 million years ago.

With their distinctive shell and slow-moving behavior, nautiluses represent a fascinating link to a distant geological past.

Nautilus – Image: Monterey Bay Aquarium/Reproduction

4. Ctenophores

Moving forward in geological time, ctenophores, also known as sea combs, appeared at the beginning of the Cambrian period, more than 500 million years ago.

Despite their fragile appearance and being very similar to jellyfish, both are not the same and can be differentiated by the fact that ctenophores do not have venom.

Ctenophore – Image: Alexander Semenov/Wikimedia Commons/Reproduction

3. Brachiopods

Continuing our exploration, brachiopods, marine animals with distinctive shells and a lophophore, have a presence that dates back to the beginning of the Cambrian period, around 541 million years ago.

Although their diversity has declined over time, some species still persist, thus connecting us to the beginnings of complex animal life.

Brachiopods – Image: Juarez Silva/Reproduction

2. Sea sponges

Closing our journey, sea sponges, extraordinarily simple beings belonging to the phylum Porifera, have established themselves as silent witnesses to the history of the world. planet.

They emerged approximately 600 million years ago, representing a crucial base in the tree of life and playing fundamental roles in marine ecosystems for eons.

Sea sponge – Image: Secrets of the World/Reproduction

1. Jellyfish

Jellyfish, members of the phylum Cnidaria, have been present on Earth since the Precambrian period, more than 650 million years ago. Their distinct shapes and stinging tentacles make them essential beings in the oceans.

In addition to their ecological importance, some species of Jellyfish they also have significant applications in medicine and research.

Jellyfish – Image: Kerimli/Shutterstock/Reproduction