![]() But evolution is extremely non-linear, and encompasses a bunch of animals doing many different, specialized things. "There is a classic image of humans evolving from apes that is often misinterpreted to mean that evolution is a 'march of progress,'" Kawano wrote in an email. Credit: Justin Lemberg and Tom Stewartįor us humans, it can be tempting to think of evolution as a path toward more complex, "better" species, according to Sandy Kawano, a researcher at the George Washington University, who was not involved with the new paper. The entire specimen of Qikiqtania wakei, reconstructed from scans. And the single specimen of Qikiqtania is much littler-about as long as a Chow Chow. Although the Qikiqtania (pronounced "kick-kiq-tani-ahh") is closely related to Tiktaalik, the nine-foot-long star of the water-to-land transition, Qikiqtania's fins appear much better suited for paddling than walking. Now, in a paper published Wednesday in the journal Nature, a group of scientists have described a new species of ancient fish, Qikiqtania wakei, that did just that. ![]() Why uproot everything for a chance with land when you had a good thing going? Instead, they would remain in water and mind their business. Unlike their famous cousins, these fish would not be some of the first colonists of the terrestrial world. But at some point, these fish evolved in a different direction, eschewing the ground and all kinds of bottoms for life in the open water. They may even have started evolving toward life on land without ever truly leaving the water, developing arm bones and musculature distinct from traditionally fan-shaped fish fins that might have helped them prop themselves up in the shallows. And some of these lineages of fish would boldly go where no fish had gone before, or at least where few fish had gone before, and over millions of years would make way for vertebrates to trample the lush realm of the terrestrial world and forever alter the course of evolutionary history by inventing sorbet (whee!) and the health insurance deductible (boo!).Īround the same time, other fish stayed put. Their fins evolved distinct adaptations, becoming less like fins and more like limbs. It turns its back toward divers on nearly every encounter, and is usually photographed from behind.About 375 million years ago, ancient fish took their first awkward steps in the shallows and toward land. This lionfish is more skittish than volitans, and is usually found in holes. Pterois radiata has long, graceful spines, without a membrane between them, that look like rays. Just be careful of others hovering around you. Sometimes a resting lionfish doesn't move at all, allowing outstanding close-up shots. In those cases, they make great photographic subjects. However, some of them seem to become used to humans and just continue to swim slowly and calmly. These fish often swim slowly just off the bottom and, when threatened, usually turn their back, pointing their venomous fins at the enemy. The enlarged pectoral fins look like Wings. ![]() Pterois volitans is sometimes called the zebrafish, turkeyfish or firefish. It is also one of the most venomous, the sting causing excruciating pain and even some fatalities. Lionfish is one of the most beautiful fish in the sea. If the ray is skittish it will swim rapidly to another shelter, but sometimes it just lies there and submits to half a dozen flash pictures before moving. Just move slowly and try not to disturb it. An excellent photographic subject, this beautiful animal can sometimes be approached very closely for dramatic pictures. However, these docile creatures never attack they usually swim away when disturbed.īlue spotted ray is usually found in sandy areas or hiding beneath small table corals. The sting is extremely painful and temporarily debilitating. All have one or more venomous spines near the base of their tail which are used for defense when they are cornered or frightened. Stingrays range in size from those having a wingspan of about a foot, such as the reef, or blue spotted stingray to the eagle ray, which grows to four feet or more. Colored a mottled brown this little creature is well camouflaged. ![]() It is often buried in the sand and can deliver a fairly strong shock if touched. There is a small Electric ray, Torpedo marmorata, usually no more than a foot in diameter. Several species of rays are common in the Red Sea.
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