Ediacaran Period

635–541 Million Years Ago

The Ediacaran Period is the last period of the Precambrian, named after the Ediacara Hills in South Australia where its characteristic fossils were first discovered. It witnessed the appearance of the first large, complex multicellular organisms — the enigmatic Ediacara biota. These soft-bodied creatures, including Dickinsonia, Charnia, and Kimberella, represent some of the earliest experiments in animal body plans. Many have no clear modern descendants, making their biological affinities one of paleontology's great mysteries.