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Update Date: 2008/09/22 09:20 Zhang Zhongwan
(AFP, Paris, 21st)
A research report published today by the UK-based science journal "Nature" reveals that scientists have discovered the rudiments of fingers and toes in Panderichthys, a fish-like creature that lived 380 million years ago.
This research overturns the prevailing theory of the evolution of fingers and toes.
For a long time, it was generally assumed that the earliest organisms to develop the rudiments of fingers were tetrapods that appeared around 370 to 360 million years ago, transitioning from marine to terrestrial life and breathing with lungs.
Previous theories suggested that to adapt to swamps and land, the body shapes of primitive organisms gradually changed through natural selection, with fins suitable for swimming evolving into limbs capable of supporting body weight and joints for articulation.
However, this study found that the primitive rudiments of fingers already existed in the fins of Panderichthys, a one-meter-long shallow-water fish. Panderichthys is a transitional organism between fish and tetrapods but possesses more fish-like characteristics.
Co-author of the study, Aberg from Uppsala University in Sweden, said: "Our research shows that hands and feet were already present in the fins, merely reshaped into new forms, rather than being newly added to the fish bones."
Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ art……url/ d/ a/ 080922/ 19/ 16bu8. html
Study: Ancient Fish Panderichthys Had Limb Precursors, Not Evolutionary Appendages
(AFP, Paris, 21st)
A research report published today by the UK-based science journal "Nature" reveals that scientists have discovered the rudiments of fingers and toes in Panderichthys, a fish-like creature that lived 380 million years ago.
This research overturns the prevailing theory of the evolution of fingers and toes.
For a long time, it was generally assumed that the earliest organisms to develop the rudiments of fingers were tetrapods that appeared around 370 to 360 million years ago, transitioning from marine to terrestrial life and breathing with lungs.
Previous theories suggested that to adapt to swamps and land, the body shapes of primitive organisms gradually changed through natural selection, with fins suitable for swimming evolving into limbs capable of supporting body weight and joints for articulation.
However, this study found that the primitive rudiments of fingers already existed in the fins of Panderichthys, a one-meter-long shallow-water fish. Panderichthys is a transitional organism between fish and tetrapods but possesses more fish-like characteristics.
Co-author of the study, Aberg from Uppsala University in Sweden, said: "Our research shows that hands and feet were already present in the fins, merely reshaped into new forms, rather than being newly added to the fish bones."
Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ art……url/ d/ a/ 080922/ 19/ 16bu8. html