Transitional Tetrapod Fossil

Transitional Tetrapod Fossil

Tiktaalik, from the Inuit word meaning “large shallow-water fish,” had a flexible neck. This is significant because in modern tetrapods like amphibians, the head is separated from the body, whereas in fish it is not. Although Tiktaalik still had gills, it had lost the bony gill coverings that fish use to fan water and promote oxygen intake. This suggests that the “fishapod” may have been at least partly air-breathing, like modern tetrapods. Further, although Tiktaalik clearly had fins, the well-preserved bony, wrist-like arrangements near the tips of the fins suggested that the animal could push its body up off the ground, offering support much like a foot does. These fins, though still used for swimming, were clearly precursors to legs.

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| waxityourself

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