Eobacterium is an extinct genus of bacteria from the Fig Tree Formation in Africa. It is about 3 billion years old, one of the oldest known organisms. The discovery of Eobacterium and other Fig Tree organisms in the 1960s helped prove that life existed over three billion years ago.

Eobacterium
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Bacteria
Genus: Eobacterium
Barghoorn and Schopf, 1966
Species:
E. isolatum
Binomial name
Eobacterium isolatum
Barghoorn and Schopf, 1966

References

edit
  • K.N. Prasad: An Introduction to Paleobotany.
  • "Fig Tree microfossils". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc. 2016. Retrieved Oct 9, 2016.