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Peer-reviewedCC BYScience Advances

Re-evaluating molecular clock maximum age calibrations revives pre-Ediacaran divergence estimates for animals

  • Orin M. Lole Durbin1,2
  • Eliel S.C. Anttila3
  • Derek E.G. Briggs4
  • Francis A. Macdonald5
  • Ross P. Anderson6
6 affiliations
  1. 1Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3AN, UK.
  2. 2Department of Geosciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA.
  3. 3Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8092, Switzerland.
  4. 4Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences and Yale Peabody Museum, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA.
  5. 5Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California–Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
  6. 6Museum of Natural History, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PW, UK.
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Abstract

Divergent models persist for the emergence of animals. Lipid biomarkers suggest animals originated before 635 million years ago (Ma), but their body fossil record extends to only 574 Ma. Molecular clocks might differentiate between these records, but we demonstrate how their accuracy and precision hinge on maximum age calibrations. We evaluate the Ediacaran Weng'an Biota (China) as a maximum calibration utilizing microfossils from the Kheseen Biota (Mongolia). These two biotas have similar preservation and microfossil assemblages, containing no definitive animals. The Kheseen Biota, deposited at a time (∼550-526 Ma) when animals were undoubtedly present, questions the validity of the Weng'an calibration. We discuss the uncertainty in maximum calibration strategies and propose multiple pre-Ediacaran deposits with favorable taphonomy, preserving both non-animal body fossils and biomarkers, as currently the most reliable calibrations. Our analyses support a late Tonian to mid-Cryogenian (∼800-700 Ma) origin for Metazoa.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{durbin2026reevaluating,
  title = {{Re-evaluating molecular clock maximum age calibrations revives pre-Ediacaran divergence estimates for animals}},
  author = {Orin M. Lole Durbin and Eliel S.C. Anttila and Derek E.G. Briggs and Francis A. Macdonald and Ross P. Anderson},
  journal = {Science Advances},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1126/sciadv.aeg6289},
  url = {https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aeg6289},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Re-evaluating molecular clock maximum age calibrations revives pre-Ediacaran divergence estimates for animals
AU  - Orin M. Lole Durbin
AU  - Eliel S.C. Anttila
AU  - Derek E.G. Briggs
AU  - Francis A. Macdonald
AU  - Ross P. Anderson
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/02
JO  - Science Advances
DO  - 10.1126/sciadv.aeg6289
UR  - https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aeg6289
AB  - Divergent models persist for the emergence of animals. Lipid biomarkers suggest animals originated before 635 million years ago (Ma), but their body fossil record extends to only 574 Ma. Molecular clocks might differentiate between these records, but we demonstrate how their accuracy and precision hinge on maximum age calibrations. We evaluate the Ediacaran Weng'an Biota (China) as a maximum calibration utilizing microfossils from the Kheseen Biota (Mongolia). These two biotas have similar preservation and microfossil assemblages, containing no definitive animals. The Kheseen Biota, deposited at a time (∼550-526 Ma) when animals were undoubtedly present, questions the validity of the Weng'an calibration. We discuss the uncertainty in maximum calibration strategies and propose multiple pre-Ediacaran deposits with favorable taphonomy, preserving both non-animal body fossils and biomarkers, as currently the most reliable calibrations. Our analyses support a late Tonian to mid-Cryogenian (∼800-700 Ma) origin for Metazoa.
SN  - 2375-2548
ER  -