Puzzling mushroom-like seabed animals could shake up animal family tree

Preserved Dendrogramma specimens (Credit: Jean Just, Reinhardt Møbjerg Kristensen, Jørgen Olesen, via Wikimedia Commons)

In 1986, Australian researchers discovered an unusual animal living in the seabed. Nearly three decades later, the tiny, mushroom-like Dendrogramma are still puzzling scientists, according to National Geographic Magazine.

Although Dendrogramma don’t resemble any animals today, they look similar to a few prehistoric species. As a result, scientists are unable to assign it any current animal groups. There is speculation that the animal could be descended from prehistoric animals, which could lead to rearranging some parts of the animal family tree.

Image: Preserved Dendrogramma specimens (Credit: Jean Just, Reinhardt Møbjerg Kristensen, Jørgen Olesen, via Wikimedia Commons)