Description
- Nemiana simplex
- Precambrian Age (620 Million Years Old)
- White Sea Formation
- Mogilov, Ukraina
- See Picture For Specimen measurements
Nemiana simplex has given taxonomists great trouble due to its simple nature. When the species was first discovered it was placed in incertae sedis, however since then, a combination of well preserved specimens and new techniques that have allowed scientists to examine the creature’s body structure, have given the creature anatomical links to jellyfish and was subsequently placed in with the other extinct colenterates. It has been suggested that N. simplex is in fact related to the protoctists and is sometimes thought to be simply a conglomeration of green algae similar to a stromatolite, however, this theory is disputed.   Nemiana simplex has one of the most simple body plans of all Ediacarans. It consists of a jelly-like sac filled with its various internal structures. However some fossils possess strange markings on top which suggests that the species had small tentacles.  It is possible that this creature did move and fed upon the algal mats of the precambrian oceans. However most scientists agree that this creature was in fact more similar to a sea anenome and burrowed, leaving its top half and hypothetical tentacles in the open water possibly for feeding. Scientists think that this organism reproduced asexually, but some believe that it released its zygotes into the water or produced spores or polyps. The diagram below illustrates how it is believed the jellyfish lived and were preserved after death.
