Question

What was the first animal on Earth?

Answer 1

Sponges are considered to be the most primitive animals to inhabit the Earth. However, recent studies have shown comb jelly was the first animal on Earth.

1. Sponges are the simplest cluster of specialized cells that evolved around 800 million years ago.
2. Molecular evidence shows that rocks have 700 million years old preserved chemical compounds.
3. Oxygen levels were low earlier and sponges being very active need less oxygen.
4. Sponges attain nutrition by taking food from water that is paced through the sponge body with the help of specialized cells.
5. Sponges have a hard outer skeleton due to which they become the first animals on earth.
6. Unlike sponges comb jelly has a complex body plan they have connective tissue and a nervous system but they lack tentacles, a bell-shaped body, and stinging cells, unlike true jellyfish. Comb jelly had diverged from the evolutionary tree base and was the first to colonize the earth.