From the Australian Outback to the Mountains of NW Canada: Ediacaran fossils and the early record of animal life

Fossils of the Ediacara Biota preserve the earliest complex communities of macroscopic life, including the oldest known animals. Despite this importance, direct links between extant clades and well-known fossils from the Ediacaran have proved contentious. Although this biota is recognized at dozens of sites globally, more than 75% of total fossil occurrences come from just four sites. As such, many open questions remain regarding the biology, ecology, environmental context, temporal and spatial distribution of these early complex forms. This talk will highlight recent discoveries in South Australia and NW Canada that help address some of these uncertainties, providing new information on the evolution and diversification of complex life on Earth. 

Speaker: Scott Evans, American Museum of Natural History