Sponges are Confirmed as the Oldest Animal Phylum

To be honest, the taxonomic status of sponges has never worried me much, nor has it impinged on my daily life. Apparently though, the debate as to where sponges fit into the metaphorical ‘tree of life’ has finally been...

The Reef Damsel’s Distress Call

Researchers at James Cook University in the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies (Coral CoE) have uncovered an interesting feature of the Damsel reef fish family. We watch our fish dart in and out of crevices when they get scared in our aquariums but little...

Marine Mesozoic Revolution

Throughout geological time, there have been many shifts in marine animal species. Amongst these shifts is a transition known as the Mesozoic Marine Revolution. This evolutionary phenomenon not only overturned a number of bottom-dwelling marine species, it transformed...