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Elainabella deepspringensis was a multicellular algae from the Ediacaran period. It was first discovered by University of Nevada, Las Vegas geologists Steve Rowland and Margarita Rodriguez in 2013, and was later officially determined a new species in 2014. It is particularly noteworthy due to it being the first multicellular alga discovered from the Ediacaran, as well as being the first known example of Burgess Shale type preservation from that period found in North America. Fossils from this age are rarely found; Ediacaran organisms were almost entirely made of soft tissue and as such were rarely preserved. In the case of E. deepspringensis, it was so unusually well-preserved that the cellular structure of the alga is still visible.

The specimen is currently permanently housed in the research collection of the Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas.

Etymology
The generic name Elainabella, literally meaning 'beautiful Elaine', honors Elaine Hatch Sawyer, an important person in Rodriguez’s life. The specific name deepspringensis is derived from the Deep Spring Formation rock layer where it was found.

Distribution
Elainabella deepspringensis has only been found in Esmeralda County, Nevada, in what was once a shallow sea covering the west coast of America but is now a small cluster of mountains.

Description
The one known specimin of E. deepspringensis is approximately one millimeter wide. It is described as having segmented branches, each about the diameter of a human hair. It is particularly notable for its excellent Burgess Shale type preservation as well as being a 3-dimensional fossil.