UC Davis Professor Sandra J. Carlson Co-Authors New Science Advances Study on Brachiopod Evolution

The Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences is pleased to share a new publication co-authored by Professor Sandra J. Carlson in Science Advances. The study explores the evolutionary history of brachiopods, a group of marine animals with a fossil record stretching back to the Cambrian. By examining genetic relationships among these animals, the researchers found evidence of at least one evolutionary shift in the minerals brachiopods use to build their shells—a transition not previously recognized in other animal groups. Supported in part by the National Science Foundation, the research offers a new framework for understanding brachiopod evolution and the history of how animals build hard structures.

Read the study in Science Advances to learn more.