Morphogenesis of Fractofusus andersoni and the nature of early animal development

A new model of growth for the biterminal rangeomorph Fractofusus andersoni, found at the Mistaken Point UNESCO World Heritage Site, reveals complex developmental regulatory machinery in early eumetazoans. This study bridges gaps in understanding the evolution of bodyplans among rangeomorphs, including Charnia and Bradgatia, by analyzing a population from Newfoundland's Ediacaran period deposits. The findings suggest that sophisticated developmental processes were already present in the earliest-diverging animal taxa over 574 million years ago, offering insights into the origins of eumetazoan diversity.

Dunn, Frances. S., Donoghue, P. C. J., & Liu, A. G. (2025). Morphogenesis of Fractofusus andersoni and the nature of early animal development. Nature Communications, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58605-9