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]
| Sialomorpha Temporal range: Tertiary
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|---|---|
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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
| |
References
edit- ^ a b Poinar, George; Nelson, Diane R. (September 28, 2019). "A new microinvertebrate with features of mites and tardigrades in Dominican amber". Invertebrate Biology. 138 (4). doi:10.1111/ivb.12265. ISSN 1077-8306. S2CID 204157733.
- ^ Dvorsky, George (October 9, 2019). "You've Heard Of Water Bears, But How About These Ancient Mould Pigs?". Gizmodo. Retrieved October 9, 2019.
- ^ Irving, Michael (October 8, 2019). "Newly discovered "mold pigs" don't fit into any known animal group". New Atlas. Retrieved October 9, 2019.
- ^ News Staff (October 9, 2019). "Mold Pigs: Strange Creatures with Features of Mites and Tardigrades Found in Amber". Sci News. Retrieved October 9, 2019.