List of transitional fossils 1334167 225265866 2008-07-12T19:54:33Z Ron Ritzman 154046 Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/69.31.235.252|69.31.235.252]] to last version by Fedor (using [[WP:HG|Huggle]]) {{dynamic list}} This is a very tentative '''list of [[transitional fossils]]''' (fossil remains of a creature that exhibits primitive traits in comparison with more derived life-forms to which it is related). An ideal list would ''only'' recursively include 'true' transitionals, i.e. those forms morphologically similar to the ancestors of the [[Monophyly|monophyletic]] group containing the derived relative, and not intermediate forms. See the article on transitional fossils for an explanation of the difference with intermediate forms. Since all species are supposed to be in transition due to natural selection, the very term "transitional fossil" is essentially a misconception. But the fossils listed represent significant steps in the evolution of major features in various vertebrate lines, and therefore fit the common usage of the phrase. ==[[Nautiloids]] to [[Ammonoids]]== {| class="wikitable" align="center" width="100%" |- ! colspan="6" align="center" |'''The ''[[Nautiloids]]'' → ''[[Ammonoids]]'' Evolutionary Series''' |- ! Appearance ! Taxa ! Relationships ! Status ! Description ! Image |- | >500 Ma | '''Subclass:''' * [[Nautiloidea]] | | | | [[Image:Cameroceras trentonese.jpg|thumb|center|150px]] |- | 390 Ma | '''Order:''' * [[Bactritida]] | * Member of the Nautiloids. * Direct ancestor of the ammonoids. | | | |- | 370 Ma | '''Subclass:''' * [[Ammonoidea]] | * Direct descendants of Bactirida. | | | [[Image:Douvilleiceras Hoplites.jpg|thumb|center|150px]] |- |} ==[[Invertebrates]] to [[Fish]]== {{incomplete list}} {| class="wikitable" align="center" width="100%" |- ! colspan="6" align="center" |'''The ''[[Invertebrates]]'' → ''[[Fish]]'' Evolutionary Series''' |- ! Appearance ! Taxa ! Relationships ! Status ! Description ! Image |- | ??? Ma | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Pikaia]]'' | | | | [[Image:Pikaia BW.jpg|thumb|center|200px]] |- |- | ??? Ma | '''Class:''' * ''[[Conodont]]'' | | | | [[Image:ConodontZICA.png|thumb|center|200px]] |- |- | ??? Ma | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Haikouichthys]]'' | | | | [[Image:Haikouichthys4.png|thumb|center|200px]] |- |- | ??? Ma | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Arandaspis]]'' | | | | [[Image:Arandaspis prionotolepis.jpg|thumb|center|200px]] |- |- | ??? Ma | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Birkenia]]'' | | | | [[Image:Birkenia elegans.jpg|thumb|center|200px]] |- |} ==[[Fish]] to [[Tetrapods]]== {| class="wikitable" align="center" width="100%" |- ! colspan="6" align="center" |'''The ''[[Fish]]'' → ''[[Tetrapods]]'' Evolutionary Series''' |- ! Appearance ! Taxa ! Relationships ! Status ! Description ! Image |- | ??? Ma | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Osteolepis]]'' | | | | [[Image:Osteolepis BW.jpg|thumb|center|150px]] |- | 385 Ma | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Eusthenopteron]]'' | | | | [[Image:Eusthenopteron BW.jpg|thumb|center|150px]] |- | 380 Ma | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Panderichthys]]'' | | | | [[Image:Panderichthys BW.jpg|thumb|center|150px]] |- | 375 Ma | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Tiktaalik]]'' | | | | [[Image:Tiktaalik BW.jpg|thumb|center|150px]] |- | 368 Ma | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Elginerpeton]]'' | | | | [[Image:Elginerpeton BW.jpg|thumb|center|150px]] |- | 368 Ma | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Obruchevichthys gracilis|Obruchevichthys]]'' | | | | |- | 365 Ma | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Acanthostega]]'' | | | | [[Image:Acanthostega BW.jpg|thumb|center|150px]] |- | 365 Ma | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Ichthyostega]]'' | | | | [[Image:Ichthyostega BW.jpg|thumb|center|150px]] |- | 360 Ma | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Hynerpeton]]'' | | | | [[Image:Hynerpeton BW.jpg|thumb|center|150px]] |- | ??? Ma | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Tulerpeton]]'' | | | | [[Image:Tulerpeton12DB.jpg|thumb|center|150px]] |- | ??? Ma | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Pederpes]]'' | | | | [[Image:Pederpes22small.jpg|thumb|center|150px]] |- | 295 Ma | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Eryops]]'' | | | | [[Image:Eryops BW.jpg|thumb|center|150px]] |- |} ==Amphibians to [[Amniotes]] (early [[reptiles]])== {| class="wikitable" align="center" width="100%" |- ! colspan="6" align="center" |'''The ''[[Tetrapods]]'' → ''[[Reptiles]]'' Evolutionary Series''' |- ! Appearance ! Taxa ! Relationships ! Status ! Description ! Image |- | ??? Ma | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Proterogyrinus]]'' | | | | [[Image:Proterogyrinus DB.jpg|thumb|center|150px]] |- | ??? Ma | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Limnoscelis]]'' | | | | [[Image:Limnoscelis21DB.jpg|thumb|center|150px]] |- | ??? Ma | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Tseajaia]]'' | | | | |- | ??? Ma | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Solenodonsaurus]]'' | | | | [[Image:Solenodonsaurus1DB.jpg|thumb|center|150px]] |- | 315 Ma | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Hylonomus]]'' | | | | [[Image:Hylonomus BW.jpg|thumb|center|150px]] |- | ??? Ma | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Paleothyris]]'' | | | | [[Image:Paleothyris.jpg|thumb|center|150px]] |- |} ==[[Synapsid]] ("mammal-like reptiles") to [[mammals]]== {| class="wikitable" align="center" width="100%" |- ! colspan="6" align="center" |'''The ''[[Synapsids]]'' → ''[[Mammals]]'' Evolutionary Series''' |- ! Appearance ! Taxa ! Relationships ! Status ! Description ! Image |- | ??? Ma | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Protoclepsydrops]]'' | | | | |- | ??? Ma | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Clepsydrops]]'' | | | | |- | 265 Ma | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Dimetrodon]]'' | | | | [[Image:Dimetrodon grandis.jpg|thumb|center|150px]] |- | ??? Ma | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Procynosuchus]]'' | | | | [[Image:Procynosuchus BW.jpg|thumb|center|150px]] |- | 248-245 Ma | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Thrinaxodon]]'' | | | | [[Image:Thrinaxodon BW.jpg|thumb|center|150px]] |- | 205 Ma | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Morganucodon]]'' | | | | |- | 125 Ma | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Yanoconodon]]'' | | | | [[Image:Yanoconodon BW.jpg|thumb|center|150px]] |- |} ==[[Dinosaur]]s to [[birds]]== {| class="wikitable" align="center" width="100%" |- ! colspan="6" align="center" |'''The ''[[Dinosaur]]s'' → ''[[birds]]'' Evolutionary Series''' |- ! Appearance ! Taxa ! Relationships ! Status ! Description ! Image |- | 125 Ma | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Yixianosaurus]]'' | | | | |- | 140-168 Ma | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Pedopenna]]'' | | | | [[Image:Pedopenna.jpg|thumb|center|150px]] |- | 155–150 Ma | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Archaeopteryx]]'' | | | | [[Image:Archaeopteryx Spindler2005s.jpg|thumb|center|150px]] |- | 120 Ma | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Confuciusornis]]'' | | | | [[Image:Confuciusornis.jpg|thumb|center|150px]] |- | 93.5-75 Ma | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Ichthyornis]]'' | | | | [[Image:Ichthyornis BW.jpg|thumb|center|150px]] |- |} ==[[Evolution of whales]]== {| class="wikitable" align="center" width="100%" |- ! colspan="6" align="center" |'''The ''[[whale]] Evolutionary'' Series''' |- ! Appearance ! Taxa ! Relationships ! Status ! Description ! Image |- | | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Pakicetus]]'' | | | | [[Image:Pakicetus BW.jpg|thumb|center|150px]] |- | | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Ambulocetus]]'' | | | | [[Image:Ambulocetus.gif|thumb|center|150px]] |- | | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Kutchicetus]]'' | | | | [[Image:Kutchicetus.jpg|thumb|center|150px]] |- | | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Artiocetus]]'' | | | | |- | | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Aetiocetus]]'' | | | | [[Image:Aetiocetus BW.jpg|thumb|center|150px]] |- | | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Dorudon]]'' | | | | [[Image:Durodon.gif|thumb|center|150px]] |- | | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Basilosaurus]] | | | | [[Image:Basilosaurus1DB.jpg|thumb|center|150px]] |- | | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Eurhinodelphis]]'' | | | | [[Image:Macrodelphinus kelloggi.jpg|thumb|center|150px]] |- | | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Mammalodon]]'' | | | | |- |} ==[[Evolution of the horse]]== {| class="wikitable" align="center" width="100%" |- ! colspan="6" align="center" |'''The ''[[Hyracotherium]]'' → ''[[Equus]]'' Evolutionary Series''' |- ! Appearance ! Taxa ! Relationships ! Status ! Description ! Image |- | | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Hyracotherium]]'' | | | | [[Image:Eohippus.jpg|thumb|center|150px]] |- | | '''Genus:''' *''[[Mesohippus]]'' | | | | [[Image:Mesohippus.jpg|thumb|center|150px]] |- | | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Parahippus]]'' | | | | |- | | '''Genus:''' *''[[Merychippus]]'' | | | | [[Image:Merychippus.png|thumb|center|300px]] |- | | '''Genus:''' *''[[Pliohippus]]'' | | | | |- | | '''Genus:''' *''[[Equidae|Equus]]'' | | | | [[Image:Img 3372 Me trot.jpg|thumb|center|150px]] |- |} ==[[Human evolution|Non-human apes to modern humans]]== {| class="wikitable" align="center" width="100%" |- ! colspan="6" align="center" |'''The [[Human]] Evolutionary Series''' |- ! Appearance ! Taxa ! Relationships ! Status ! Description ! Image |- | | '''Species:''' * ''[[Pierolapithecus catalaunicus]]'' | | | | |- | | '''Genus:''' *''[[Ardipithecus]]'' | | | | |- | | '''Genus:''' * ''[[Australopithecus]]'' | | | | [[Image:Australopithecus africanus.jpg|thumb|center|150px]] |- | | '''Species:''' *''[[Homo rudolfensis]]'' | | | | [[Image:Homo rudolfensis.jpg|thumb|center|150px]] |- | | '''Species:''' *''[[Homo habilis]]'' | | | | [[Image:Homo habilis.jpg|thumb|center|150px]] |- | | '''Species:''' *''[[Homo erectus]]'' | | | | [[Image:Homo erectus tautavelensis.jpg|thumb|center|150px]] |- |} ==See also== * [[List of fossil sites]] ''(with link directory)'' * [[List of human evolution fossils]] * [[Transitional fossil]] ==External links== * [http://vuletic.com/hume/cefec/#5 Section V: Paleontology] – Transitional fossils between every animal group * [http://www.palaeos.com/Vertebrates/Units/140Sarcopterygii/140.000.html Palaeos vertebrates starting with lobe-finned fish (very comprehensive)] * [http://talkorigins.org/faqs/faq-transitional.html talk.origins FAQ: Transitional vertebrate fossils] [[Category:Transitional fossil|*]] [[Category:Lists of prehistoric animals]]