300-million-year-old fossils challenge theory that early land animals had amphibian-like life cycles
By
James Woodford
Summary
A set of exquisitely preserved 300-million-year-old fossils suggests that early four-limbed vertebrates (tetrapods) did not undergo metamorphosis between juvenile and adult stages, challenging the long-held assumption that these early land animals had an amphibian-like life cycle with a larval stage and external gills. The fossils indicate that even juvenile specimens lacked features associated with aquatic larvae, suggesting these ancient creatures were fully terrestrial from a young age. This discovery reshapes our understanding of how vertebrates transitioned from water to land, implying that the amphibian life cycle with metamorphosis evolved later than previously thought.
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Twitter / X300-million-year-old fossils challenge theory that early land animals had amphibian-like life cyclesnewscientist.comKey quotes
· 2 pulledWe have for a very long time assumed that these animals were broadly amphibian-like, and that this life cycle would have bridged the gap between life in the water and life on land
These fossils are remarkably preserved and give us an unprecedented window into the early evolution of terrestrial vertebrates
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