Undoubtedly the male!

2003/12/05 Elhuyar Zientzia

• Paleontologia
• Arkeologia

The image corresponds to the fossil of a marine animal discovered in the United Kingdom. With 425 million years, it is the oldest fossil that leaves no doubt that it is male.

It is an extensive testing sexual organ to ensure that it is a male. In honor of this length, the new species has been baptized as Colymbosathon ecplecticos, swimmer of great penis. The fossil has been maintained very well and, as can be seen in the image, soft tissues have reached the present day.

This new species had two shells and explored the seabed in search of food. It was not very different from some current oysters, which shows that oysters have evolved very slowly.

Photo: D. D. Siveter