14 DAY TRIAL // A key intermediary stage between fish and land animals was finally identified by archaeologists and anthropologists. The newly-discovered fossils exhibit the presence of an articulated neck, although their living environment was shallow waters. Scientists believe that the fact that animals developed a proto-neck is clear evidence that the fossil links two stages of evolution – fish and the first land dwellers.
According to some theories, fish developed limbs and became capable of breathing air, thus transforming into the first land animals. But until now, these theories were only guesses as to what really happened. In truth, there could have been a dozen ways for land mammals to evolve.
However, with this discovery, it became clear to everyone that the first theories on the matter were correct. Fish developed a mobile, hardened head so they could hunt in shallow waters near the shore lines. As of now, it's still unclear what precisely they were hunting for, but the fact that they developed the ability to breathe air hints that the early animals would sometimes exit the water completely to get what they were looking for.
The 375-million-year-old fossil, dubbed Tiktaalik, was first uncovered in 2006 by researchers at the University of Chicago, led by Neil Shubin. At that time, when most of the fossils were still encased in their rocky tomb, the team was unable to say for certain if that was indeed the "missing link" between fish and land animals. But with the removal of the stones around the bones, the scientists were able to identify an archaic form of the neck bone, proving that the Tiktaalik could indeed move its head up and down, a perfect adaptation to its environment.
The fact that the fossil fitted perfectly between fish and land animals gave scientists the confirmation they needed to safely announce that they'd finally discovered the crucial missing link between the two species. This could account for how complex life on the ground became possible. From this type of amphibious species came lizards and then, later on, dinosaurs, which would rule the Earth for millions of years after that.