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Small sea life
In 2012 , researchers unearth a 520 - million twelvemonth erstwhile fossilized animal that is one of the earliest known echinoderms with fivefold symmetry .
Ancient find
The animals skeletal frame had long since disintegrate , but it left a characteristic impression in the sediments of the Moroccan Anti - Atlas Mountains .
Primitive creature
The creature , dubbedHelicocystis moroccoensis , had five spiral groove along its body that it opened and closed to enamor solid food .
Strange symmetry
Earlier fossils had spiral arrangement of those vallecula , or ambulacra , but not the typical five point in time balance observe in ocean urchin , starfish , and other echinoderm .
One of many
The new creature may aid spill twinkle on when and how echinoderms evolve their unique body plans .
Explosion of life
Helicocystis moroccoensisis just one of many primitive creature that emerged during the Cambrian explosion , a catamenia when the phone number of species on the planet explode . Bizarre shrimplike ocean giant known as anomalocaridids grew up to 6 feet long and filled the Cambrian ocean .
Ancient insects
Another strange creature , a 500 - million year old sea creature known as a fuxhianhuiid , had limbs under its nous . Throughout the Cambrian period , life experiment with many kooky physical structure plans .
