Ediacaran organisms. Artwork of organisms that existed during the Ediacaran period (around 635 to 542 million years ago). This period of the Proterozoic era was characterised by the emergence of the first multicellular animals. These were soft-bodied bottom-dwelling marine animals and included Dickinsonia (centre left, red) Tribrachidium (disc- shaped, yellow, centre right) and Spriggina (orange, lower centre).