Vertebrate evolution

Comparative Anatomy: Comparing Anatomy Across Species

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Comparative anatomy is a branch of biology that involves the study of anatomical structures and systems across different species to understand evolutionary relationships, adaptations, functional morphology, and biological diversity. By comparing the anatomy of organisms from various taxonomic groups, researchers can gain insights into evolutionary patterns, developmental processes, physiological functions, and ecological adaptations that have … Read more

400-million-year-old fish reveals secrets of our bones

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Published today, our new paper describes a spectacular 400 million-year-old 3D-preserved fossil fish, Ligulalepis. The 3D anatomy of the fossilised Ligulalepis skull reveals previously unknown details of the pattern of dermal skull bones, the shape of the brain cavity, and other soft tissue features (such as nerves and blood vessels) in this species. Why are we so excited about discovering … Read more

365-million-year-old fish with world’s longest underbite sheds light on vertebrate evolution

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Vertebrates are defined as all animals that possess a vertebral column, or backbone. Most living vertebrates also possess jaws, teeth and paired fins or limbs. Fossils of the earliest vertebrates help us understand not only how these features originated, but also how they evolved and diversified over time. Our study, published in Royal Society Open Science, … Read more

Kelp forests predate known ecosystem by 18 million years, nourishing extinct mammals

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The unique underwater kelp forests that line the Pacific Coast support a varied ecosystem that was thought to have evolved along with the kelp over the past 14 million years. But a new study shows that kelp flourished off the Northwest Coast more than 32 million years ago, long before the appearance of modern groups … Read more