Behold: the oldest animal ever (on record, at least)! The Dickinsonia may not look like much, but this little dollop of creature represents one of the first true animals to ever live on planet earth. The Dickinsonia lived before there was any need for defensive adaptations because it had no predators, resulting in this slow-moving, soft body plan. They ranged in size between a few millimeters to 4.5 feet in length, and it is believed that they lived a peaceful life creeping over the ocean floor and fed on algae and bacteria.
Behold: the oldest animal ever (on record, at least)! The Dickinsonia may not look like much, but this little dollop of creature represents one of the first true animals to ever live on planet earth. The Dickinsonia lived before there was any need for defensive adaptations because it had no predators, resulting in this slow-moving, soft body plan. They ranged in size between a few millimeters to 4.5 feet in length, and it is believed that they lived a peaceful life creeping over the ocean floor and fed on algae and bacteria.