THE FIRST PREDATOR

Around 560 million years ago, the first predator emerged in Earth’s prehistoric oceans. Named Auroralumina attenboroughii after British naturalist and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough, the anemone-like organism was uncovered in the UK in 2007. Devoid of any sharp teeth or piercing claws, the pioneering predator was a cnidarian, a group of animals that included corals and jellyfish. Much like its modern-day descendants, A. attenboroughii extended tentacle-like structures to capture passing food. Scientists believe that A. attenboroughii once fed on algae and zooplankton for survival. This creature is also the earliest known animal to have a skeleton, housing its densely packed tentacles.

A. attenboroughii was discovered in rocks containing fossils of other ancient species