The discovery is exceptional. A 315-million-year-old fossil sponge has been discovered near the Cliffs of Moher, County Clare, Ireland. This 50 cm fossil is the largest known specimen of its kind in the world, turning the world of geology upside down.
In the photo, Dr. Eamon Doyle, geologist at the UNESCO Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark, looks proud. He can be seen proudly pointing to his latest discovery, an impressively large fossilized sponge.
Known scientifically as “Cyathophycus balori”, this sponge has been identified in the rocks of the Cliffs of Moher, and represents a major breakthrough for science.
It has to be said that she has everything to impress. Dating back nearly 315 million years, this sponge lived at a time when County Clare was close to the Equator.
With a structure similar to the modern Venus Flower Basket sponge, it bears witness to an exceptionally rich prehistoric biodiversity. Vase-shaped, the sponge had a circular opening at the top.
Named after Balor, a giant of Irish mythology, this exceptional specimen offers valuable insights into the evolution of sponges and the geological history of Ireland.
The discovery was published in the journal Geobios, with contributions from Dr. Joseph Botting and Dr. Lucy Muir, highlighting its importance for understanding the history of life on Earth.
Sponges, though simple in structure, have always played an essential role in terrestrial biodiversity. Their study provides valuable information on past and present ecosystems.
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