Sialomorpha Temporal range:
Tertiary
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Artist's restoration | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
(unranked): | Panarthropoda |
(unranked): | incertae sedis |
Family: | †
Sialomorphidae Poinar & Nelson, 2019 |
Genus: | †
Sialomorpha Poinar & Nelson, 2019 |
Species: | †S. dominicana
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Binomial name | |
†Sialomorpha dominicana Poinar & Nelson, 2019
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Sialomorpha dominicana, also known as the mold pig, is a panarthropod genus of uncertain affinities discovered in 30-million year old Dominican amber by George Poinar at Oregon State University and Diane R. Nelson at East Tennessee University. [1] [2] It was placed in a new genus and family (Sialomorphidae) unto itself, and appears to represent a new phylum. S. dominicana shares some resemblance to tardigrades and mites. [3] It is about 100 μm long and grew by molting its exoskeleton. [4] It was probably an omnivore, feeding on minute invertebrates and fungi, including mold. [1]