Millipedes beat vertebrates to land by 80 million years
Researchers have completed the evolutionary family tree of millipedes by analyzing DNA from rare species found in Mexico and the Canary Islands. The study reveals that millipedes colonized land approximately 460 million years ago, predating vertebrates by over 80 million years.
Why it matters
Understanding the evolutionary history of millipedes provides critical insight into how early terrestrial ecosystems were established, setting the stage for the development of later life forms.
For hundreds of millions of years before dinosaurs appeared and long before vertebrates ventured onto land, millipedes were already thriving on Earth's surface.
The article is a straightforward report on scientific findings without political or social framing.
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