One example of a transitional fossil discussed in this unit is Tiktaalik. Tiktaalik is considered transitional because it exhibits both fish-like and tetrapod-like characteristics, making it a crucial link in the transition from aquatic to terrestrial environments.
Tiktaalik possesses traits such as fins with wrist-like bones, a neck that allows for greater mobility, and functional lungs that suggest it could breathe air. These features show a combination of fish-like adaptations for swimming and tetrapod-like adaptations for walking on land. This combination of characteristics supports the idea that Tiktaalik represents an intermediate stage in the evolutionary history of vertebrates, bridging the gap between aquatic fish and terrestrial tetrapods.
The presence of Tiktaalik in the fossil record provides strong evidence for the gradual process of evolution, illustrating how organisms can adapt to new environments and develop new traits over time. Its transitional nature highlights the interconnectedness of different species and the evolutionary changes that have occurred over millions of years.
transitional fossils provide important evidence for evolution of organisms over long periods of time. 3 examples of transitional fossils are describes in this unit: Tiktaalik. pick one of these three organisms, then use the information in the table below to explain why your chosen organism is considered transitional.
1 answer