Illustration of animals that existed during the Ediacaran period (around 635 to 542 million years ago). This period at the end of the Proterozoic era was characterised by the emergence of the first multicellular animals. These were bottom-dwelling marine animals and included Swartpuntia (green, lower left), Cloudina (with stacked rings and tentacles, right), the frond-like Charnia (centre, red and blue), and Charniodiscus (background, blue-green).