Sialomorpha

Sialomorpha dominicana, also known as the mold pig, is a panarthropod genus of uncertain affinities discovered in 30-million year old Dominican amber by George Poinar at Oregon State University and Diane R. Nelson at East Tennessee University.^[1][2] It was placed in a new genus and family (Sialomorphidae) unto itself, and appears to represent a new phylum. S. dominicana shares some resemblance to tardigrades and mites.^[3] It is about 100 μm long and grew by molting its exoskeleton.^[4] It was probably an omnivore, feeding on minute invertebrates and fungi, including mold.^[1]

Sialomorpha Temporal range: Tertiary 45–15 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Artist's restoration
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Clade:	Panarthropoda
(unranked):	incertae sedis
Family:	†Sialomorphidae Poinar & Nelson, 2019
Genus:	†Sialomorpha Poinar & Nelson, 2019
Species:	†S. dominicana
Binomial name
†Sialomorpha dominicana Poinar & Nelson, 2019