description Dickinsonia costata Overview
Dickinsonia costata is an extinct organism known from Ediacaran fossil deposits, particularly in South Australia and Russia. Its flattened, oval body is divided into repeated rib-like units extending from a central axis, and specimens range considerably in size. Its biological affinities were long debated, but preserved cholesterol-related biomarkers reported from Russian fossils in 2018 provided evidence that Dickinsonia belonged to the animal lineage.
help Dickinsonia costata FAQ
Was Dickinsonia costata an animal?
Many researchers interpret Dickinsonia as an early animal, partly because fossil biomarker studies have reported cholesterol-related compounds. Its exact position within animal evolution remains debated because its body plan differs sharply from most later animals.
How did Dickinsonia move or feed?
Fossil track-like traces suggest that Dickinsonia could shift position across microbial mats on the seafloor. It may have absorbed or digested nutrients beneath its flattened body rather than using a recognizable mouth and gut.
Where are Dickinsonia costata fossils found?
Well-known specimens occur in the Ediacara Hills of South Australia and in Ediacaran deposits of Russia. These fossils date from before the Cambrian explosion of abundant hard-bodied animals.
Why does Dickinsonia look segmented?
Its oval body bears repeated rib-like units arranged on either side of a central axis. The units are offset rather than perfectly mirrored, a pattern sometimes described as glide reflection.
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