World's Oldest Sperm Discovered in Ancient Crustacean

Ancient ostracod had long, and long-lived, sex cells.

By Karen Emslie
Apr 30, 2015 5:00 AMNov 14, 2019 8:54 PM
ostracod2.jpg
Ostracods are a type of crustacean, similar to shrimp, that thrive to this day. | Renate Matzke-Karasz

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German biologist Renate Matzke-Karasz beamed at the virtual fossil slices on her iPad. “There are definitely internal structures in this animal, and perhaps even sperm!” she emailed retired Australian micropaleontologist John Neil, wanting him to be the first to know. It would take five more years to confirm, but Matzke-Karasz was actually looking at the oldest petrified sperm in the world.

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