Scientists have recently made a groundbreaking discovery of a 155-million-year-old creature that had the unique ability to clone itself. This starfish-like creature, named Ophiactis hex, had six arms and could regenerate its body, a process called fissiparity. The fossil was found in 2018 in a limestone deposit in Germany, once a deep lagoon filled with coral meadows and sponge beds.
The researchers believe that this fossil is the only known specimen of this new brittle star species. Dr. Ben Thuy, a palaeontologist at Luxembourg’s Musee national d’histoire naturelle, noted in a new paper that while the biology and ecology of clonal fragmentation is well understood, very little is known about its evolution and geological history. This discovery sheds light on when this phenomenon may have first evolved.
The fossil of Ophiactis hex is exceptional in its preservation, with all hook-shaped arm spines still visible. It was named after a magical supercomputer in a Terry Pratchett novel known for thinking the unthinkable. Dr. Thuy and his team noted that while skeletons of ophiuroids with individual arms caught in the regeneration process are relatively common, cases of individuals with a regenerating body half are extremely rare.
The significance of this discovery lies in the fact that it is only the second known case of a fossil with a regenerating body linked to both six-fold symmetry and clonal fragmentation. This information provides valuable insights into the evolution of this process and showcases the remarkable abilities of ancient creatures like Ophiactis hex.
Dr Thuy’s study highlights how little is still known about the biology and ecology of clonal fragmentation despite its prevalence in modern animals like planarian worms and starfish alike.
This discovery will undoubtedly inspire further research into the evolutionary history of these creatures and their remarkable abilities to regenerate their bodies.
In conclusion, scientists have recently made an astonishing discovery of an ancient creature that had the unique ability to clone itself
