Lichen-like life 600 million years ago may push back origins of fungal-algal partnerships
Researchers have identified 600-million-year-old microfossils that suggest fungal-algal partnerships, or lichens, may have evolved much earlier than previously thought. The study utilized advanced confocal laser scanning microscopy to reveal microscopic features of the fossils.
Why it matters
This discovery provides new insights into the evolutionary history of symbiosis and the ecological origins of complex life forms.
edited by Sadie Harley , reviewed by Robert Egan
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:
Add as preferred source Thallus with densely distributed filaments and coccoids. Credit: Qu et al. Two organisms inhabiting a common environment can sometimes mutually influence each other, either benefiting or, in some cases, damaging one another. This mutually beneficial or ambivalent biological relationship is known as symbiosis.
One of the most studied examples of symbiosis is lichens: a partnership between a fungus and an organism that undergoes photosynthesis (e.g., a green alga or cyanobacterium).
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in