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Grypania Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.
Grypania facts for kids
| Grypania Temporal range: Palaeoproterozoic–Mesoproterozoic |
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| Grypania spiralis fossil | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Genus: | †Grypania |
| Type species | |
| Grypania spiralis Walter, Oehler & Oehler, 1976 |
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Grypania is an early, tube-shaped fossil from the Proterozoic eon. It is regarded by some as the first known eukaryote.
Grypania's status as a eukaryote is not absolutely proven. It might have been a giant bacterium or bacterial colony. Its size (over one centimeter) and consistent form, suggest it is a eukaryotic alga. The oldest known Grypania fossils come from an iron mine near Negaunee, Michigan. The fossils were originally dated as 2100 million years ago, but later research showed the date as about 1874 million years ago. Grypania lasted into the Mesoproterozoic era.