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A transitional fossil has evidence of an organism that had lived with different traits from different species. For example, the skeleton of Basilosaurus isis found in an Egyptian desert in 2005 has a whalelike body but also the limbs of land animals. Basilosaurus isis might be a transitional fossil from an ancient, giant land animal to a more recent whale.
Transitional fossils display features of two types of animals and are examples of the transition from one type of animal into another. They are also known intermediate fossils, and serve to "bridge the gap" in evolutionary history between two types of related animals. They can be identified by their retention of certain primitive traits in comparison with their more derived relatives.
According to modern evolutionary synthesis, all populations of organisms are in transition. Therefore, a "transitional form" is a human construct of a selected form that vividly represents a particular evolutionary stage, as recognized in hindsight. Contemporary "transitional" forms may be called "living fossils", but on a cladogram representing the historical divergences of life-forms, a "transitional fossil" will represent an organism near the point where individual lineages (clades) diverge.
One example of a transitional fossil is one of Tiktaalik, a prehistoric fish. It contains features of fish such as fins, scales, and gills, but it has a flat head, lungs, weight bearing wrist bones, and a mobile neck like a tetrapod. Since it is found in just the right rock later, Tiktaalik represents one evolutionary stage in the transition from fish to tetrapods.
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∙ 12y ago
Wiki User
∙ 15y agoThey are fossils of organisms that indicate a change or direction in the evolution of an organism. Many consider the fossil of Archaeopteryx, a prehistoric Jurrasic bird, as the predominant example of a transition fossil.
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Why are transitional important?
Transitional fossils are important because they are visual evidence of one type of animal evolving into another type of animal. A transitional fossil always contains features of one type and features of another. For example, Archaeopteryx is a transitional fossil that is a cross between a dinosaur and a bird. It has a bony tail, teeth, and claws like a dinosaur, but it has feathers and is able to fly like a bird. It is an important link in the evolution from dinosaurs to birds.
How many transitional forms does a fossil record contain?
"Transitional form" is an arbitrary term because every organism, whether living or fossil, is a link in the chain between an ancestral organism and a descendent. The break into new species is gradual rather than sudden. Every fossil is therefore a "transitional form" in the strict sense.In general, "transitional form" is used specifically to link one modern species with its prehistoric ancestor. In some cases, a form may not be a specific ancestor of an identifiable living species, but it may have general characteristics that indicate the evolutionary path that was being followed. E.g. the bird fossil Confuciusornis may not be ancestral to living birds, but it still indicates the direction of evolution from earlier repties.There are abundant transitional forms that illustrate e.g. the transition from fish to land animals; the transition from amphibians to reptiles; the transition from dinosaurs to birds; and the transition from early apes to humans.Because the definition of "transitional form" in the narrow sense (a transition between two set organisms) is variable, it's not possible to give a strict number.
What should you observe in the fossil record if evolution is slow and steady?
If evolution is slow and steady, we'd expect to see the entire transition, from ancestor to descendent, displayed as transitional forms over a long period of time in the fossil record.
What mean by transitional provision?
transitional provision
What kind of tissue is transitional tissue?
Transitional tissue is a type of epithelial tissue.
What is the scientific name for missing link?
There is no specific scientific name for the concept of the "missing link" in human evolution. It is a colloquial term that has been used in the past to describe hypothetical transitional forms in the evolutionary lineage of humans. Scientists now understand that evolution is a complex and continuous process with many transitional forms, rather than a single missing link.
What is one example of transitional fossil that has been found?
Whales.
Why are transitional important?
Transitional fossils are important because they are visual evidence of one type of animal evolving into another type of animal. A transitional fossil always contains features of one type and features of another. For example, Archaeopteryx is a transitional fossil that is a cross between a dinosaur and a bird. It has a bony tail, teeth, and claws like a dinosaur, but it has feathers and is able to fly like a bird. It is an important link in the evolution from dinosaurs to birds.
Why might the fossil record of the early history of these species have gaps?
The lack of a clear fossil record might indicate rapid evolution or that the transitional species was not very widespread.
What are transitional forms?
Fossils or organisms that show the intermediate states between an ancestral form and that of its descendants are referred to as transitional forms. There are numerous examples of transitional forms in the fossil record, providing an abundance of evidence for change over time.
What fossil evidence is considered an intermediate between reptiles and birds?
The oldest bird fossil Archaeopteryx is a transitional form between reptiles and birds and is cited as evidence Describe three additional pieces of evidence for this claim?
How many transitional forms does a fossil record contain?
"Transitional form" is an arbitrary term because every organism, whether living or fossil, is a link in the chain between an ancestral organism and a descendent. The break into new species is gradual rather than sudden. Every fossil is therefore a "transitional form" in the strict sense.In general, "transitional form" is used specifically to link one modern species with its prehistoric ancestor. In some cases, a form may not be a specific ancestor of an identifiable living species, but it may have general characteristics that indicate the evolutionary path that was being followed. E.g. the bird fossil Confuciusornis may not be ancestral to living birds, but it still indicates the direction of evolution from earlier repties.There are abundant transitional forms that illustrate e.g. the transition from fish to land animals; the transition from amphibians to reptiles; the transition from dinosaurs to birds; and the transition from early apes to humans.Because the definition of "transitional form" in the narrow sense (a transition between two set organisms) is variable, it's not possible to give a strict number.
What should you observe in the fossil record if evolution is slow and steady?
If evolution is slow and steady, we'd expect to see the entire transition, from ancestor to descendent, displayed as transitional forms over a long period of time in the fossil record.
What does transitional mean?
In the context of palaeontology, calling a fossil a 'transitional form' means that it's morphologically intermediate between a basal clade and a specific derived clade. Meaning that the shapes of its bones are such as would be expected from a descendant of the basal clade that is also ancestral to the derived clade.
What epithelial tissue do you find in the urinary bladder?
Transitional
What is transitional boundary?
A transitional boundary.
Which fossil fuels has the highest Fuel Value?
Methane Gas has the highest Fuel value.
