Researchers compare new coelacanth fossils to ones that came before and after and link evolutionary changes to tectonic activity.
Contemporary coelacanths are often described as living fossils. Superficially, that may be true. But new evidence now makes that nickname less valid.
The Devonian also saw a massive amount of tectonic activity, which reshaped coastlines, created islands, and, in general, provided pretty substantial habitat change for ocean dwellers. That activity also led to The quality of those fossils allowed the scientists to compare 300 or so physical characteristics in about 80 coelacanth species. The first such exercise in this prehistoric fish illustrated the number of subtle, but important shifts the coelacanths underwent over 400 million years or more. They could also observe what changes occurred during the Devonian Period.
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