A team of researchers from the UK has made a groundbreaking discovery in their analysis of the fossilized remains of the ancient organism Prototaxites taiti. Contrary to long-held assumptions, the team found that Prototaxites doesn’t fit into the tree of life as we know it. Instead, they suggest that it belongs to a previously unknown branch.
The researchers studied the anatomy and molecular composition of Prototaxites in comparison with contemporary fungi from the same geological period. They rejected the widely-held hypothesis that Prototaxites was an ancient fungus, citing distinct differences in its structure and molecular makeup.
Key features of Prototaxites include large tube-like structures, compounds similar to lignin, and a heterotrophic lifestyle. The researchers concluded that these characteristics are unique to Prototaxites and do not match those of known fungi or other organisms.
The implications of this discovery are significant, suggesting the existence of long-forgotten kingdoms of life. According to the current classification system, all living organisms belong to one of three domains: Bacteria, Archaea, or Eukaryotes. However, the researchers’ findings imply that there may be more to the tree of life than previously thought.
The discovery was published in a preprint server bioRxiv and has yet to be peer-reviewed. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and explore the implications for our understanding of life on Earth.
Source: https://gizmodo.com/giant-ancient-life-form-doesnt-fit-into-any-known-branch-of-life-2000582118