Ancient Swimming Jellyfish Fossils Unearthed

Researchers at the Royal Ontario Museum have identified the oldest known species of swimming jellyfish, Burgessomedusa phasmiformis, in the fossil record. These well-preserved fossils from the Burgess Shale provide insights into the complex Cambrian food chain and demonstrate that large, swimming jellyfish with bell-shaped bodies existed over 500 million years ago. The discovery adds to our understanding of the evolution of life on Earth and highlights the remarkable preservation of delicate animals in the Burgess Shale.