Revealing the patterns of macroevolution
Article Abstract:
The structure of the extinct lobe-finned fish Panderichthys shows that the evolution of amphibians from fish occurred rapidly and involved significant evolutionary changes. Panderichthys contained a slender tail in the place of the dorsal and anal fins, while its brain was identical to that of other lobed-finned fish. The fish was present during the late Middle or early Upper Devonian era, and changes in its limbs and braincase occurred over nine mil yrs. The evolution of amphibians explains the rare occurrence of intermediate forms' fossils, as evolution involves small changes that take place rapidly.
Publication Name: Nature
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0028-0836
Year: 1996
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
An early Silurian vascular plant
Article Abstract:
The fossil plant Pinnatiramosus discovered in southwest China appears to be a vascular plant belonging to the Silurian age. The external and internal structure of the plant has no resemblance to vascular plants; however, the fossils show tracheid like structures and spores which are similar to early vascular plants. The bed containing the fossils has a Late Llandovery origin. Spore data shows that vascular plants were present in the Early Silurian era.
Publication Name: Nature
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0028-0836
Year: 1996
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
- Abstracts: Half-awake to the risk of predation. Alien versus predator. Night-time predation by Steller sea lions
- Abstracts: Signs of an early spring. Parental paradoxes. Noble-gas-rich chondrules in an enstatite meteorite
- Abstracts: Guidelines for the treatment of animals in behavioural research and teaching. Male infanticide in captive plains zebra, Equus burchelli
- Abstracts: Wrestling with kinesin. Making connections count
- Abstracts: Relationship between eruption volume and neodymium isotopic composition at Unzen volcano. Mechanisms of magma eruption and emplacement at Mt Etna between 1989 and 1992