研究人員發(fā)現(xiàn)了一批新的化石,，是神秘的,、前寒武紀的埃迪亞加拉(Ediacaran)動物的化石,，化石保留著三維的特性。埃迪亞加拉動物被認為是寒武紀大爆發(fā)的“導火索”,。因為埃迪亞加拉動物是軟體的,，所以它們的化石很難找到，人們對它們也缺乏了解,。加拿大紐芬蘭的錯誤點(Mistaken Point)有埃迪亞加拉動物的化石集合,，在此之前研究人員在那里只發(fā)現(xiàn)過二維的印記樣品。現(xiàn)在,，Guy M. Narbonne描述了一組從這個化石集合中找到的三維的化石,，其中有保存下來的30微米之小的特征。和其他在錯誤點找到的同類化石一樣,，這些生物體看起來有點像植物,，有從干上分支出來的被稱為“小葉(frondlet)”的結構。這些小葉結構可能是由莖支撐在海底上面,，自由地漂浮的,。新化石還展示了一些以前沒有看到過的小葉排列。Narbonne說,，現(xiàn)代動物沒有明顯的類似結構,。

Modular Construction of Early Ediacaran Complex Life Forms
Newly discovered, exceptionally preserved, soft-bodied fossils near Spaniard's Bay in northeastern Newfoundland exhibit features not previously described from Ediacaran (terminal Neoproterozoic) fossils. All of the Spaniard's Bay taxa were composed of similar architectural elements--centimeter-scale frondlets exhibiting three orders of fracticality in branching. Frondlets were combined as modules atop semi-rigid organic skeletons to form a wide array of larger constructions, including frondose and plumose structures. This architecture and construction defines the "rangeomorphs," a biological clade that dominated the Mistaken Point assemblage (575-560 Ma) but does not appear to be related to any Phanerozoic or modern organisms.