[Campbell Biology P.726] The 550-million-year-old fossil of Cloudina shown in Figure 32.6 ex... | Practice Question

The 550-million-year-old fossil of Cloudina shown in Figure 32.6 exhibits a distinct 'bore hole'. What does the presence of this bore hole most directly suggest?

  • A: Cloudina was a predatory organism that drilled into other shells.
  • B: It represents a natural opening for water circulation or waste removal.
  • C: It provides early fossil evidence of predation, where a predator drilled through Cloudina's shell.
  • D: The bore hole is a unique characteristic formed during the fossilization process.

Explanation

The text explicitly states that Cloudina fossils show signs of attack: round 'bore holes' that resemble those formed today by predators that drill through the shells of their prey to gain access to the soft-bodied organisms lying within. This indicates early evidence of predation.