Discovery of new Tiktaalik roseae fossils reveals key link in evolution of hind limbs
Monday, January 13, 2014 - 17:00
in Paleontology & Archaeology
The discovery of well-preserved pelves and a partial pelvic fin from Tiktaalik roseae, a 375 million-year-old transitional species between fish and the first legged animals, reveals that the evolution of hind legs actually began as enhanced hind fins. This challenges existing theory that large, mobile hind appendages were developed only after vertebrates transitioned to land.