Ediacaran

British  

/ ˌiːdiːˈækərən /

adjective

1. of, denoting, or formed in the last 50 million years of the Neoproterozoic era, during which a new texturally and chemically distinctive carbonate layer appeared, indicating climatic change

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noun

1. the Ediacaran period or rock system

Ediacaran Scientific  

/ ē′dē-ä′kə-rən /

1. Relating to a group of fossilized organisms that are the earliest known remains of multicellular life. They are soft-bodied marine life forms that date from between 560 and 545 million years ago, during the late Precambrian Eon.

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Etymology

Origin of Ediacaran

C20: named after the Ediacara Hills in the Flinders mountain range in South Australia

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Ediacaran

"This is really exciting. Given our understanding of the regional geology in northwestern Canada, there is great potential here to revisit our understanding of Ediacaran Earth history."

From Science Daily ● Aug. 6, 2026

Ediacaran fossils have been found on every continent except Antarctica, but sites with more than 10 species are extremely uncommon.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 6, 2026

However, the runner-based lifestyle of many Ediacaran organisms reduced the need to compete.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 10, 2026

To investigate why evolution appeared to slow during this period, Mitchell and co-author Professor Andrea Manica studied fossils from Mistaken Point in Newfoundland, one of the world's most important Ediacaran fossil sites.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 10, 2026

Becker-Kerber, who is now conducting postdoctoral research at Harvard University, explains that if the marks had truly been left by animals, they would represent evidence of meiofauna during the Ediacaran period.

From Science Daily ● May 12, 2026

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