New research published in the journal Scientific Reports and led by researchers at the American Museum of Natural History, Florida State University, Harvard University and the University of California, Riverside, indicates that Spriggina showed a consistent preference for bending to the right.

The findings provide a remarkable glimpse into the origins of left-right asymmetry in animals, suggesting that behavioral preferences associated with one side of the body emerged far earlier in evolutionary history than previously recognized.

"When we talk about being right- or left-handed, most people likely think about how they hold a pencil or kick a soccer ball. But our research shows that an animal without hands or feet, living over 500 million years ago, may have had its own version of handedness," said lead author Scott Evans, assistant curator of invertebrate paleontology at the museum.

Fossils from an ancient seafloor

The Ediacaran Period (about 635–538 million years ago) marks one of the most transformative chapters in the history of life on Earth. During this time, microscopic life evolved to become multicellular, large enough to see with the naked eye and capable of increasingly complex behaviors, including movement.

The Flinders Ranges and surrounding region of South Australia preserve one of the most exceptional records of this fossil assemblage known from this time. In particular, excavation of individual beds at Nilpena Ediacara National Park reveals communities of the Ediacara biota buried during storm events, capturing snapshots of the seafloor 550 million years ago.