A 315-MILLION year-old fossil has been found near the Cliffs of Moher in what scientists call an “exceptional” discovery.
The sponge, named Cyathophycus balori, dates back to a time when the Atlantic Ocean had not even started to form and what is now Co Clare was part of an earlier sea, located near the Equator.
When it was alive, it would have resembled the modern-day Venus Flower Basket sponge, which is found the Pacific Ocean.
The new discovery has been published in the latest edition of international geological journal Geobios, with the work of experts Dr Joseph Botting and co-author Dr Lucy Muir, in collaboration Dr Eamon Doyle, geologist for the Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark.
Commenting on his discovery, Doyle said: “It is the first record of this type of fossil sponge from Ireland and its excellent preservation is highly unusual.”
“The sponge was originally composed of a rectangular meshwork of tiny spicules made of silica, held together by a thin organic membrane. When they die, they usually fall apart quickly, and often only scattered remains of the spicules are preserved as fossils, so I was delighted to find these largely intact specimens.”
Botting said he was “amazed” at the size and condition of such an old fossil. “This was totally unexpected.”
“This find offers important insights into the evolution of sponges and how some species can survive in niche environments where few other species can live. Finding such large and intact specimens is exceptional.”
Muir said the discovery “reminds us that there are still new and interesting fossils to be found which help us understand the story of life on Earth”.
Sponges are creatures with a very basic body plan, they do not have a nervous system or circulatory system, but they are very abundant and form an important part of our biodiversity today. They filter large volumes of water for microscopic organisms that they feed on.
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