Charnia

Charnia is an extinct genus of soft-bodied, frond-like marine organisms that lived around 560 million years ago during the Ediacaran period. Resembling leaves or ferns, they were among the earliest known complex multicellular life forms. Charnia lacked hard parts like shells, making fossilization rare. Their distinctive, branched, and often leaf-like appearance provides valuable insights into early animal evolution and the diversity of pre-Cambrian life. These organisms likely floated or anchored to the seafloor, representing some of the earliest complex life forms that set the stage for future biological diversity.