The comb jelly -- Earth's First Animal

A new study indicates that Earth's first animal was probably significantly more complex than previously believed.

clipped from www.foxnews.com Evolution Shocker: Sponge Wasn't First Form of Animal Earth's first animal was the ocean-drifting comb jelly, not the simple sponge, according to a new find that has shocked scientists who didn't imagine the earliest critter could be so complex. clipped from www.nsf.gov Evolutionary history of the comb jelly reveals surprising clues about Earth’s first animal clipped from www.nsf.gov A comb jelly. The evolutionary history of the comb jelly has revealed surprising clues about Earth's first animal. The comb jelly could only have achieved its apparent seniority over the simpler sponge via one of two new evolutionary scenarios: 1) the comb jelly evolved its complexity independently of other animals, after it branched off onto its own evolutionary path; or 2) the sponge evolved its simple form from more complex creatures--a possibility that underscores the fact that evolution is not necessarily just a march towards increased complexity, says Dunn. This scenario would provide a particularly dramatic example of that principle. A comb jelly

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