Dickinsonia fossil found in Bhimbetka turns out to be decayed beehive

Fossils of an extinct species of animal that scientists reported in a sensational discovery from India’s Bhimbetka Rock Shelters in 2021 have been found to be a false alarm. One is that there is consensus in the community of paleobiologists that the flora and fauna of the Ediacaran period, 635-530 million years ago, “represented early animals and macroscopic eukaryotes living in a marine setting”, whereas Dr. Retallack has “long held the view that they are lichen that lived in a terrestrial environment.” “It happens that the strata at Bhimbetka is a coastal terrestrial deposit,” Mr. Kher continued. “When their group came across the ‘fossil’ impression, which admittedly looked like Dickinsonia, its sedimentologic context fitted Dr. Retallack’s ideas of where Dickinsonia should be found.” Second: Dickinsonia is “an iconic member” of the Ediacaran period and “an important age marker”, since it’s believed to have lived 555-545 million years ago. This ephemeral state is perhaps one reason why others hadn’t noticed it elsewhere.” ‘Quite convincing’ “The case made by Joe Meert and colleagues was quite convincing,” Dr. Retallack told The Hindu in an email. Although the remains had all essential morphological retails of Dickinsonia elongata, that regularity of form was fortuitous, and we agree that it is indeed a modern bee nest and not an Ediacaran fossil.” Other places of concern The Bhimbetka Rock Shelters are famous for their cave paintings, some of which have been dated to 8,000 B.C., while archaeological evidence at the site has indicated human settlements up to 100 millennia ago.