Discoveries

[Spalea]

" Scientists first discovered Tiktaalik in 2004 while hunting fossils on Ellesmere Island in the Canadian Arctic. Its extraordinary blend of gills, scales, fins and lungs, combined with a movable neck, sturdy ribcage and crocodile-like head, placed Tiktaalik half way between fish and the earliest four-legged land animals.


In work published on Monday, researchers describe fossils of the back half of Tiktaalik for the first time. The report shows that the animal had a large, robust pelvic girdle, a prominent hip joint, and long hind fins. The powerful fins could have propelled the beast in the water, but also helped it walk on riverbeds, or scramble around on mudflats.

ART: Kayomi Tukimoto "

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