Fossilized mother and baby found

Museum Victoria

Fossilized placoderm fish embryo

Researchers recently uncovered a fossilized 380-million-year-old placoderm fish with an embryo attached by an umbilical cord. It is by far the oldest example of any creature giving birth to live young and is the first time that a fossilized embryo has been found complete with its umbilical cord. Furthermore, it indicates that these ancient vertebrates had advanced reproductive biology comparable to modern sharks and rays. John Long of the Museum Victoria in Australia and colleagues reported the finding May 29 in Nature.

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