Scientists Find 155 Million-Year-old Fossil of Ophiactis hex
In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists have unearthed a 155-million-year-old fossil revealing an extraordinary moment in the life of a brittle star—a distant relative of the starfish. Encased in limestone and remarkably well-preserved, this ancient creature, named Ophiactis hex , was found in southern Germany during a 2018 excavation. This fossil offers a rare glimpse into the regenerative abilities of ancient marine life, capturing the brittle star in the midst of cloning itself. The Astonishing Find The fossil of Ophiactis hex stands out not only for its age but also for its exceptional preservation. It showcases the creature's six-fold symmetry and captures it in the act of regenerating half its body—a process known as clonal fragmentation. This remarkable discovery marks the first time a fossil has been found showing a star-shaped echinoderm in the midst of this regenerative process. Dr. Ben Thuy, a palaeontologist at Luxembourg's Musee national d'histoire natur...
