The aquatic monster of the Devonian period is evidence of the evolutionary leap that allowed us to walk on land today.
New discoveries from a 375-million-year-old fossil of an aquatic monster provide insights into the evolution of the vertebral skeleton, shedding light on how our ancestors transitioned from aquatic to terrestrial life.
The strange skeleton of the Devonian aquatic monster Tiktaalik – (Photo: ERBELY SCIENCE UNIVERSITY).
According to SciTech Daily, this is a remarkably intact fossil of a Tiktaalik, an ancient fish commonly excavated in the Arctic region of Canada.
Using micro-CT scanning methods, the intricate details of the vertebrae and ribs of this Devonian aquatic monster have been revealed.
A team of scientists from Erbely Science University (USA) noted that the ribs of this strange fish could be tightly connected to its pelvic bones by ligaments, a feature not found in typical fish. Its pelvic fins also have a closer connection.
This abnormality likely supported its ability to move on its hind limbs, a characteristic found only in much later terrestrial animals.
In typical fish, the pelvic fins and the bones of the pelvic girdle are relatively small and almost “float” freely within the body.
Thus, Tiktaalik represents the first step towards the terrestrial life of Earth’s organisms, marking the beginning of the gradual development of walking capabilities.
Its fins and pelvic bones allowed it to wander on land, but also helped it to “stand up” and push itself forward with its hind fins at the water’s edge.
Tiktaalik can “stand up” strangely at the water’s edge using its pelvic fins as legs, although they are much smaller and weaker than the legs of quadrupedal animals – (AI-generated graphic).
So far, researchers have not found any skeletons containing similar evolutionary traces.
“This reconstruction first shows how everything fit together and gives us clues about how walking evolved” – said Associate Professor Tom Stewart from Erbely Science University.
The complete reconstruction of the Tiktaalik skeleton took researchers many years. Initially, only the front part was discovered, and they had to spend a long time removing the fossil from the rock slab.
In 2014, the pelvic bones of the fish were revealed at the same fossil site. After a decade of extraction and research, its complete skeleton was assembled, revealing surprising details.
