Galeactena hemispherica

3D Model

Yunnan Province, China, ~518 million years old.

Galeactena had a soft body with hardened spokes running down the sides and eight sets of comb rows, which were covered by hair-like cilia in life. This enabled the creature to swim through the water, well above the sea floor. Galeactena lacked the feeding tentacles of living ctenophores and may instead have fed by engulfing its prey.

Created for the First Animals exhibition at Oxford University Museum of Natural History: www.oum.ox.ac.uk/firstanimals

Model by Mighty Fossils: www.mightyfossils.com