First evidence for locomotion in the Ediacara biota from the 565 Ma Mistaken Point Formation, Newfoundland

Fossil evidence of locomotion from the Ediacara biota, dating back approximately 565 million years, has been discovered in deep-water environments at Mistaken Point, Newfoundland. This finding extends the record of complex trace fossils into the earliest stages of the Avalonian biota, suggesting that some of these early organisms were likely muscular and metazoan-grade. The study describes an assemblage of macroscopic locomotory traces, providing new insights into the behavior and biological affinities of Precambrian organisms. Researchers analyzed these trails to infer the presence of large motile organisms on the seafloor during this time, challenging previous assumptions about the simplicity of Ediacaran trace fossils.

Liu, A. G., Mcllroy, D., & Brasier, M. D. (2010). First evidence for locomotion in the Ediacara biota from the 565 Ma Mistaken Point Formation, Newfoundland. Geology, 38(2), 123–126. https://doi.org/10.1130/g30368.1