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Feliks, J. 2014. Debunking evolutionary propaganda, Part 8: The inconvenient facts of living fossils: Porifera and CnidariaPleistocene Coalition News 6 (4): 13-15.

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DEBUNKING EVOLUTIONARY PROPAGANDA, Part 8

The inconvenient facts of living fossils: Porifera and Cnidaria

A lifelong reader of textbooks in every field exposes “thousands” of examples of false statements of fact and other propaganda techniques easily spotted in anthropology, biology, and paleontology textbooks


By John Feliks

tn_Acheulian-collected-Isastraea-coral-section_redrawn-jfeliks_Musings jpg.jpg

Fig. 1.

Detail drawing of Isastraea coral (living fossil for 207 million years). Two such fossils were chipped from their matrix and carried 120 miles by H. heidelbergensis people c. 400,000 years ago; Swanscombe, England (Musings on the Palaeolithic Fan Motif, J. Feliks, Exploring the Mind of Ancient Man, 2006). Homo erectus and Neanderthals collected other coral and sponge fossils as well (The Impact of Fossils on the Development of Visual Representation, J. Feliks, Rock Art Research, 1998: 112). The above papers provided evidence that early people linked fossils to living forms challenging the idea of cognitive evolution—a central tenet of anthropology. Similarly, living fossils do not support the tenets of evolutionary biology.

The date ranges in this article (except those with asterisks) are from Fossilworks: Gateway to the Paleobiology Database, Macquarie Univ. Dept. of Biological Sciences, Sydney, Australia. The database is assembled by hundreds of paleontologists and is based on the fact that the same fossils are present throughout the world. 


“Sponges [Porifera] are the...oldest metazoan phylum still extant today; they share the closest relationship with the hypothetical common metazoan ancestor.”

–Werner E. G. Müller, geneticist, sponge expert

“Modern corals…may have evolved from some nonskeletonized common ancestor that existed in the Paleozoic but left no fossil record.”

–Bruce L. Stinchcomb, geologist, paleontologist

This is a standard trick in Darwinism to explain why evolutionary claims do not match the physical evidence of the fossil record. It is applied by mainstream PhDs trained in biology, paleontology, and anthropology to every single creature and every type of creature known (See Parts 2, 3, and 4: Fictions taught as fact in college textbooks, Part 1 and Part 2; PCN #23, May-June 2013; PCN #24, July-August 2013; and, Evolutionists are not qualified to assess ‘any’ evidence, PCN #25, September-October 2013; or the series in html).

Paleontologists cannot explain the origins of any organisms without recourse to a pantheon of invisible “unknown” ancestors. Yet, they can tell you the exact range to the decimal of when fossilized creatures lived (Figs. 1-7). This means that their desired explanation does not match their accrued facts.

(continued on page 14)
Genus Current living fossils Range Fossils recovered in situ by the author

Porifera*

(phylum; sponges)

The oldest known complex animal fossils
are sponges.

Unchanged
760 million years


Precambrian–Recent;
760.0 MYA–Present
Worldwide tn_Stromatoporoid-large-showing-internal-structure_Devonian_Alpena-Rogers-City-Michigan_jfeliks_600dpi+23cntrst+8brt.jpg
4 1/4" w (11 cm)

Stromatoporoid sponge showing internal structure; Devonian;
Alpena, Michigan

Porifera*

(phylum; sponges)

Since they first appeared in the fossil record sponges have been sponges. This is true for all organisms.


Unchanged
760 million years


Precambrian–Recent;
760 MYA–Present
Worldwide tn_Tube-sponge_Mississippian_Sulphur-Indiana-jfeliks1200dpi+7cntrst+17brt.jpg
1 3/8" tall (3.3 cm)

Tube sponge showing osculum; Mississippian;
Sulphur, Indiana

Cnidaria*

(phylum; corals, anemones, jellyfishes, hydras)

Some of the most ancient soft-body fossils are modern-looking cnidarians.


Unchanged
680 million years

Precambrian–Recent;
680.0 MYA–Present
Worldwide Late-Jurassic-jellyfish_Rhizostomites-admirandus_Solnhofen_Germany-Bavaria_320px-Qualle_Oberjura.JPGtn_Jellyfish-fossil-possible_unlabeled-resemble-worm-borings-stone_jfeliks_1200dpi_tighter-crop+19cntrst-11brt.jpg
Right specimen 1/2" wide (1.3 cm)


Left: Jurassic jellyfish, Germany (public domain), Right: UI jellyfish in sandstone;
author; USA

Anthozoa

(Cnidarian class including corals and sea anemones)

Unchanged
580 million years


Precambrian–Recent;
580.0 MYA–Present
Worldwide tn_Protaraea-2_tabulate-coral-encrusting-brach-shell_Ordovician_Liberty-Indiana_jfeliks_1200dpi+10cntrst-3brt.jpg
1" wide (2.3 cm)

Protaraea tabulate coral encrusting brachiopod shell; Ordovician;
Liberty, Indiana


Scleractinia

(coral order)

Unchanged
361 million years


Carboniferous–Recent;
360.7 MYA–Present
Worldwide tn_Manicina-rose-coral_Key-Largo-Limestone_Pleistocene_jfeliks_600dpi_9cntrst+7brt.jpg
2 3/16" (5.5 cm)

Manicina; rec. in situ, Pleistocene;
Key Largo Limestone


Faviidae

(coral family)

Unchanged
235 million years


Triassic–Recent;
235.0 MYA–Present
Worldwide tn_Montastrea-colony-coral_south-Florida_Pleistocene_jfeliks_600dpi.jpg
2 1/2" (6.1 cm)

Montastrea; rec, in situ author Pleistocene;
south Florida


Agariciicae

(coral superfamily)

Unchanged
167 million years


Jurassic–Recent;
167.0 MYA–Present
Worldwide tn_Agaricia-colony-coral_southern-Florida_Pleistocene_jfeliks_600dpi-autolevels.jpg
2" wide (5.1 cm)

Agaricia; rec. in situ, Pleistocene;
south Florida


Fig. 2.

A few examples of thousands of orders, families, genera (presently sponges and corals) showing no evolution for hundreds of millions of years—facts hidden from public.


Genus Former living fossils Range Fossils recovered in situ by the author

Rugosa

(coral subclass; note identical time range as Stauriida order)

Unchanged
440 million years

Ordovician-Eocene;
488.3–48.6 MYA
Worldwide
tn_Cystiphyllum-coral_Arkona-Ontario_jfeliks_300dpi+18cntrst.jpg
1 3/8" (3.6 cm)

Cystiphyllum; Devonian;
Arkona, Ontario, Canada


Rugosa

(coral subclass; note identical time range as Stauriida order)

Unchanged
348 million years

Ordovician-Eocene;
488.3–48.6 MYA
Worldwide
tn_Heliophyllum2-coral_Arkona-Ontario_jfeliks_300dpi+7cntrst+4brt.jpg
1 15/16" (4.9 cm)

Heliophyllum; Devonian;
Arkona, Ontario, Canada


Stauriida

(coral order; note identical time range as Rugosa subclass)

  Unchanged
305 million years

Ordovician-Eocene;
488.3–48.6 MYA
Worldwide
Microcyclus_Devonian_Arkona_Ontario_jfeliks_600dpi.jpg
9/16" w (1.4 cm)

Microcyclus rec. in situ Devonian;
Arkona, Ontario


Fig. 3.

Before extinctions all of the worldwide genera presented were living fossils. Examples rec. by author from formations across U.S. and Canada over a 30-yr. span.

Page 13


PLEISTOCENE COALITION NEWS

Page 14

tn_Heliophyllum2-coral_Arkona-Ontario_jfeliks_300dpi+7cntrst+4brt.jpg

Fig. 5.

Heliophyllum, a cosmopolitan horn coral whose order, Rugosa, survived as a living fossil for 440 million years. Nothing at all unsuccessful about that despite an evolution community trying to sell people the idea of a fossil record filled to the brim with unfit creatures that had to mutate into other creatures in order to survive. These corals appeared in the Ordovician and remained the same through the Eocene; and like every other species, genera, order, family, phylum, never changed except at a level easily compared with dog breeds. As the dates in Figs 1-7 show, once organisms appear in the fossil record they survive unchanged for tens to hundreds of millions of years.


Persistence of belief despite contradictory evidence is practically unknown in science but it is a distinguishing trait of Darwinism. This is because when those in its associated fields are being educated they are aggressively and relentlessly taught what to believe, not how to assess evidence objectively. It is paint-by-numbers science. Few can ever break out of it because it is forced on them during psychologically-formative years when, as children, they would normally develop critical thinking skills. Later on they have no idea that anything is missing.

In fact, I suggest that once someone trustingly completes such an education they have little ability left to objectively assess the fossil record even when the evidence ‘obviously’ does not align with their expectations.

This type of education—the kind that prevents students from learning about conflicting evidence or that blocks them from discussing the implications of conflicting evidence such as the startlingly long existence ranges of organisms without changing—is an assault on human reason and the progress in inquiry we have made since Plato and other great philosopher-scientists of the past (e.g., Newton).

The three corrupted sciences of biology, paleontology, and anthropology are interfering with the quest for truth and the human right to seek out origins wherever that quest might lead.

The greatest assault on free inquiry is presently occurring here in the United States. It is the forcing of children in captive-audience classrooms to accept by stranglehold challenged ideas as scientific fact (including the just-as-easily-debunked fad of genetics as

(continued on page 15)

Genus
Former living fossils  Range
Fossils recovered in situ by the author

Stauriida

(coral order; note identical time range as Rugosa subclass)

Unchanged
440 million years

Ordovician–Permian;
488.3–48.6 MYA
Worldwide
tn_Disphyllum possible_Genshaw Form. Alpena-Michigan_jfeliks_1200dpi+7cntrst-5brt.jpg
9/16" w (1.4 cm)

Disphyllum rec. in  situ, Devonian;
Rogers City, MI

Plerophyllina

(coral suborder)

Unchanged
370 million years

Ordovician–Permian;
418.7–48.6 MYA
Worldwide

tn_Stereostylus-horn-coral_Pennsylvanian_Kittanning-PA_jfeliks_1200dpi_white+14cntrst&brt.jpg
13/16" (2.1 cm)

Stereostylus; Pennsylvanian; Kittanning, Pennsylvania

Tabulata

(extinct coral order or subclass, depending on the goose one chooses to chase)

Unchanged
284 million years

Cambrian–Triassic;
516.0–232.0 MYA
Worldwide 
tn_Halysites_Michigan-Alpena-or-glacial-drift_jfeliks_1200dpi-autolevels.jpg
1 1/2" w (3.9 cm)

Halysites (chain coral); Devonian;
Alpena County, MI

Tabulata

(coral order)

Unchanged
284 million years

Cambrian–Triassic;
516.0–232.0 MYA
Worldwide
tn_Syringopora-coral_Arkona-Ontario_jfeliks_1200dpi_+7cntrst-2brt.jpg
15/16" (2.5 cm)

Syringopora; Devonian, Arkona, Ontario

Tabulata

(extinct coral order or subclass, depending on the goose one chooses to chase)

Unchanged
284 million years

Cambrian–Triassic;
516.0–232.0 MYA
Worldwide

tn_Thamnopora-tabulate-coral_Devonian_GenshawForm.Alpena-Michigan_jfeliks_1200dpi-white+17cntrst.jpg
1 1/2" w (3.9 cm)

Thamnopora; rec. in situ Devonian; Alpena Co., MI

Streptelasmatidae

(coral family)

Unchanged
236 million years

Ordovician–Permian;
488.3–252.3 MYA
Worldwide

Grewenkia-showing-structures_ordovician_Milton_Kty_jfeliks_300dpi+9cntrst+5brt.jpg3tn_Grewenkia-w-well-preserved-growth-lines_ordovician_jfeliks_Milton_Kty_300dpi.jpg
2 3/4" (7 cm) and 3
3/8" (8 cm)

Grewingkia; two specimens; left showing sutures, right showing growth lines; Ordovician; Milton, Kentucky

Favositiidae

(colonial tabulate coral family)

Unchanged
224 million years

Ordovician
–Triassic;
456.1–232.0 MYA
Worldwide

tn_Favosites_Devonian_Alpena-Michigan_jfeliks_300dpi.jpg
3 1/4" w (8.2 cm)

Favosites rec. in situ, Devonian;
Alpena, MI

Favositiidae

(colonial tabulate coral family)

Unchanged
224 million years

Ordovician–Triassic;
456.1–252.3 MYA
Worldwide

tn_Emmonsia_Devonian_Sylvania-Ohio_jfeliks_600dpi+12cntrst.jpg
7/8" (2.4 cm)

Emmonsia, rec. in situ, Dev.; Arkona, Ont. or Sylvania, OH

Auloporicae

(coral superfamily)

Unchanged
204 million years

Ordovician–Permian;
456.1–252.3 MYA
Worldwide

Aulopora-coral-encrusting_Heliophyllum-coral_Arkona-Ontario_jfeliks_300dpi_white+17+11.jpgtn_Aulopora_Devonian_Sylvania-Ohio_jfeliks_1200dpi-rotate_cntrst21+brt3.jpg
2 1/2" (6.3 cm)

Aulopora encrusting Heliophyllum; Dev. L. Arkona; R. Sylvania

Favositicae

(tabulate coral superfamily)

Unchanged
203 million years

Ordovician–Permian;
455.8–252.3 MYA
Worldwide

Pleurodictyum-tabulate-coral_superfamilyFavositicae_Pennsylvanian_7Stars-PA_jfeliks_1200dpi_white-angle+7cntrst+3brt.jpg
9/16" (1.4 cm)

Pleurodictyum; Devonian; Seven Stars, Pennsylvania

Stereolasmatina

(coral suborder)

Unchanged
197 million years

Ordovician
–Permian;
449.5–252.3 MYA
Worldwide
 
tn_Zaphrentoides-(3-horn-corals)_Mississippian_Sulphur-Indiana_jfeliks_1200dpi-white_+17cntrst-7brt.jpg
3 1/4" ea (8.1 cm)

Zaphrentoides; Mississippian; author; Sulphur, Indiana


Fig. 4.

Continuing examples of well established genera, etc., with astounding existence ranges and no morphing between genera. No true science would make claims such as evolution when evidence shows the opposite. Date ranges are international consensus.

Page  14


PLEISTOCENE COALITION NEWS

Page 15

tn_Halysites_Michigan-Alpena-or-glacial-drift_jfeliks_1200dpi-autolevels.jpg

Fig. 7.

Halysites, the ‘chain coral,’ Order Tabulata, Cambrian–Triassic; 516.0–232.0 million years, unchanged 284 million years. Contrary to Darwinism, which parades as science, the fossil record is not a record filled with mutating and morphing organisms. It consists of nothing but well-established and successful organisms that survive for tens to hundreds of millions of years. Read the dates in the figures. If you are intimidated by propagandists, be they teachers, professors, school or university officials into accepting buffoonery as fact, understand that they do not know the fossil record beyond their template training, being victims of the kind of education they are passing on to you or your children. When propagandists attempt to block people from conflicting ideas or evidence in the classroom, question their scientific integrity. Ask to see the trillions of fossilized (not invisible) invertebrate morphs or to point to exact geographic locations where purported evolutionary events have taken place. They will not be able to do it.


an end-all; the genetics fad is a simple trick raising analogy and assumption to a level above the ‘chronologically recorded facts’ of the fossil record—the only source of real-time non-analogical physical evidence regarding origins.

U.S. children are now being trapped in science classrooms with template instructors. This is because organizations which have lost scientific integrity (e.g., AAAS) are participants in a far-reaching campaign to control naïve and easily-duped legislators, judiciary, and educators. I guarantee, none of those people understand the fossil record. Otherwise, they would not allow laws to pass that diminish students’ rights to study it objectively.

It is harmful to the investigative spirit when an aggressive ideology rules the science community. That community is currently after easy targets such as children in school. At present, they have all their guns aimed at religion. However, that leaves them wide open. They are in the process of being taken at Aqaba and don’t even know it.

_________________


John Feliks has specialized in the study of early human cognition for twenty years demonstrating beyond any reasonable doubt that human cognition does not evolve. Earlier, his focus was on the invertebrate fossil record studying fossils in the field across the U.S. and parts of Canada as well as studying many of the classic texts (Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology, Index Fossils of North America, etc.). With the advent of the Next Generation Science Standards setting up U.S. schools to force an ideology on children as fact while blocking opposing evidence, Feliks encourages students to insist that science teachers present all evidence objectively—like in normal science. At present evolution is taught as propaganda with no rigor or accountability.

Genus
 Former living fossils
 Range

Fossils recovered by the author

Disphyllidae/Cyathophylina

(coral families)

Unchanged
195 million years

Ordovician–Permian;
449.5–254.0 MYA

Worldwide tn_Hexagonaria2_Devonian_Alpena-County-MI_jfeliks_1200dpi-clean.jpg
1 3/4" (4.3 cm)

Hexagonaria; author; Devonian; Alpena, MI


Lithostrotionina

(rugosa colonial coral suborder)

Unchanged
185 million years

Ordovician–Permian;
449.5–265.0 MYA

Worldwide tn_Lithostrotion-2_Mississippian-coral_Iuka-Tishimingo-Co_Mississippian-jfeliks_600dpi+7cntrst&brt.jpg
3 1/4" (8 cm)

Lithostrotion (Acrocyathus); Mississippian; Iuka, Mississippi


Cystiphyllida

(coral order)

Unchanged
184 million years

Ordovician–Permian;
456.1–272.5 MYA

Worldwide
tn_Large-unidentified-cnidarian_Silurian_Miami-County-Ohio_jfeliks_300dpi+11cntrst&brt.jpg    tn_Calymene_Silurian_Phoneton_Miami-Co-Ohio_jfeliks_300dpi.jpg   tn_Pentamerus_Silurian_Phoneton_Miami-Co-Ohio_jfeliks_300dpi.jpg
6 1/4" tall (15.8 cm)

Cystiphyllum; Silurian; Phoneton, Ohio; found in context with Calymene (middle), Pentameras (right), and Sphaeroxochus and Encrinurus trilobites

Alveolitina

(coral suborder)

Unchanged
182 million years

OrdovicianJurassic;
436.0–254.0 MYA

Worldwide
tn_Aveolites_Devonian_Alpena-County-MI_jfeliks_1200dpi-rotate.jpg
2" w. view (5 cm)

Alveolites rec. by author in situ Devonian; Arkona, Ontario

Unidentified large Rugose horn coral

Unchanged
162 million years

Ordovician–Carboniferous;
488.3–254.0 MYA

Worldwide tn_Horn-coral_Pennsylvanian_Junction-City_Kansas_jfeliks_300dpi+21cntrst.jpg
3 3/4" tall (9.4 mm)

Large horn coral; Pennsylvanian; Junction City, Kansas

Lophophyllidiidae

(coral family) Note: Taxa date ranges can vary by a hundred million years and change daily like the stock market.

Unchanged
90 million years

Carboniferous–Permian;
342.8–252.3 MYA

Worldwide tn_Lophophyllidium-westii_&_proliferum_Pennsylvanian_Paris-Illinois-jfeliks_1200dpi+3cntrst.jpg
1 3/16" (3 cm)

Lophophyllidium westii & proliferum (1 1/6"); Pennsylvanian; Paris, Illinois


A few Paleozoic horn corals compared

The idea is to start thinking “dog breeds” for all fossil types. Use of the term ‘species’ has long been out of control in the fields of biology, anthropology, and paleontology and can no longer be trusted as anything more than a way to differentiate varieties. Remember, if paleontologists never knew about modern-day dogs but found Chihuahua, St. Bernard, and German Shepherd fossils they would call them different species. Anyone alive today knows that they are the same.

Unchanged
236 million years

Ordovician–Permian;
488.3–252.3 MYA

Worldwide
tn_Grewingkia_Ordovician_Richmond-Indiana_jfeliks_300dpi+14cntrst&brt.jpg  tn_Horn-coral_Devonian_Milan-Illinois_jfeliks_1200dpi.jpg  tn_Lophophyllidium-proliferum-separate_Pennsylvanian_Paris-Illinois-jfeliks_1200dpi.jpg
2 11/16",
1", 1 1/16"

Left: Ordovician horn coral, Grewingkia, roadcut, Liberty, Indiana; Center: Devonian horn coral, Collinson Quarry, Milan, Illinois; Right: Pennsylvanian horn coral, Lophophyllidium, quarry behind St. Aloysius Church, Paris, Illinois


Fig. 6.

More examples of fossils with astounding existence ranges and no morphing between genera. Instead of being coerced into Darwinism as threatened by the NGSS, innocent school children need to be taught the “facts” of the fossil record.


Page 15

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Debunking evolutionary propaganda, part 2: Fictions taught as fact in college textbooks, 1st half
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Debunking evolutionary propaganda, part 4: Evolutionists are not qualified to assess 'any' evidence
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Debunking evolutionary propaganda, part 5: Mandatory U.S.-legislated indoctrination now in place, 1st target, captive-audience children in K-12 science classrooms
Return to Debunking evolutionary propaganda, part 6: The inconvenient facts of living fossils: Brachiopoda
Return to Debunking evolutionary propaganda, part 7: The inconvenient facts of living fossils: Mollusca
Return to Debunking evolutionary propaganda, part 8: The inconvenient facts of living fossils: Porifera and Cnidaria
Return to Debunking evolutionary propaganda, part 9: The inconvenient facts of living fossils: Echinodermata
Return to Debunking evolutionary propaganda, part 10: The inconvenient facts of living fossils: Bryozoa
Return to Debunking evolutionary propaganda, part 11: The inconvenient facts of living fossils: Arthropoda
Return to Debunking evolutionary propaganda, part 12: The inconvenient facts of living fossils: Trace fossils & graptolites [PDF]
Return to Debunking evolutionary propaganda, part 13: The inconvenient facts of living fossils: Plants [PDF]
Return to Debunking evolutionary propaganda, part 14: The inconvenient facts of living fossils: Fishes and invertebrates [PDF]
Return to Debunking evolutionary propaganda, part 15: Tetrapod evolution credibility questioned via invertebrate fossils [PDF]

Recent external mathematics publications:

Feliks, J. 2012. Five constants from an Acheulian compound line. Aplimat - Journal of Applied Mathematics 5 (1): 69-74.

Feliks, J. 2011. The golden flute of Geissenklosterle: Mathematical evidence for a continuity of human intelligence as opposed to evolutionary change through time. Aplimat - Journal of Applied Mathematics 4 (4): 157-62.

Return to The graphics of Bilzingsleben series, Part 1: Proof of straight edge use by Homo erectus
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Return to The graphics of Bilzingsleben series, Part 4: 350,000 years before Bach
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Pleistocene Coalition News
is produced by the Pleistocene Coalition
bi-monthly since October 2009.


Contact the author of this article: feliks (at) umich.edu