''Bangiomorpha pubescens'' is a red alga. It is the first known sexually reproducing organism. A multicellular fossil of ''Bangiomorpha pubescens'' was recovered from the

Hunting Formation Hunting is the human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products (fur/ hide, bone/tusks, horn/ antler, ...

in Somerset Island, Canada that strongly resembles the modern red alga ''

Bangia ''Bangia'' is an extant genus of division Rhodophyta that grows in marine or freshwater habitats. ''Bangia'' has small thalli with rapid growth and high reproductive output, and exhibits behavior characteristic of r-selected species. The plants ...

'' despite occurring in rocks dating to , during the Stenian period. This fossil of a type of red algae is the oldest example of an organism belonging to an extant phylum. The fossil includes differentiated reproductive cells that are the oldest evidence of sexual reproduction. Sexual reproduction increased genetic variation, which led to an increased rate of evolution and the diversification of eukaryotes.

References

Bangiophyceae Red algae genera Fossil taxa described in 2000 Monotypic algae genera {{Rhodophyta-stub