A Devonian tetrapod-like fish and the evolution of the tetrapod body plan

被引:268
作者
Daeschler, EB
Shubin, NH
Jenkins, FA
机构
[1] Acad Nat Sci Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19103 USA
[2] Univ Chicago, Dept Organismal Biol & Anat, Chicago, IL 60637 USA
[3] Harvard Univ, Dept Organism & Evolutionary Biol, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
[4] Harvard Univ, Museum Comparat Zool, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
基金
美国国家科学基金会;
关键词
D O I
10.1038/nature04639
中图分类号
O [数理科学和化学]; P [天文学、地球科学]; Q [生物科学]; N [自然科学总论];
学科分类号
07 ; 0710 ; 09 ;
摘要
The relationship of limbed vertebrates (tetrapods) to lobe-finned fish (sarcopterygians) is well established, but the origin of major tetrapod features has remained obscure for lack of fossils that document the sequence of evolutionary changes. Here we report the discovery of a well-preserved species of fossil sarcopterygian fish from the Late Devonian of Arctic Canada that represents an intermediate between fish with fins and tetrapods with limbs, and provides unique insights into how and in what order important tetrapod characters arose. Although the body scales, fin rays, lower jaw and palate are comparable to those in more primitive sarcopterygians, the new species also has a shortened skull roof, a modified ear region, a mobile neck, a functional wrist joint, and other features that presage tetrapod conditions. The morphological features and geological setting of this new animal are suggestive of life in shallow-water, marginal and subaerial habitats.
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页码:757 / 763
页数:7
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