一种新的鱼化石揭示了早期肺鱼的快速进化
Tuo Qiao1, Xindong Cui1, Wenjin Zhao2
1Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 10044, China.
Current biology : CB
|December 11, 2025
概括
来自中国的新化石肺鱼揭示了最接近陆地脊椎动物的血统的快速早期进化. 这一发现阐明了关键的进化转变,并表明亚洲和北美之间存在着古老的联系.
科学领域:
- 古生物学的古生物学
- 进化生物学 进化生物学
- 脊椎动物起源 脊椎动物起源
背景情况:
- 肺鱼是陆地脊椎动物的最近亲属,其进化历史可以追溯到4.15亿多年前.
- 早期肺鱼 (Diabolepis) 和更多衍生形式 (Eudipnoi) 之间存在形态差异,阻碍了对早期进化转变的理解.
- 以前的早期欧迪普纳化石缺乏详细的内部骨结构,限制了对早期肺鱼进化的洞察力.
研究的目的:
- 为了描述一个新的,特别保存的早期肺鱼化石从中国的Pragian.
- 分析这个早期的肺鱼的内结构,提供前所未有的细节.
- 为了澄清肺鱼血统开始时的关键进化转变及其更广泛的进化背景.
主要方法:
- 化石发现和详细的形态分析一个保存良好的头骨.
- 遗传学分析以确定新物种的进化位置.
- 提示日期贝叶斯分析以估计分歧时间和进化速率.
主要成果:
- 来自中国的Pragian的一种新型eudipnoan物种的描述,其头骨保存良好.
- 首次在早期的肺鱼中详细研究了包括脑袋在内的内结构.
- 在Eudipnoi血统的基础上进行了家族遗传定位,表明了肺鱼早期的快速进化.
- 识别了与Diabolepis和Uranolophus共享的特征,弥合了形态差距.
结论:
- 新的化石为肺鱼的早期进化及其与四足动物的关系提供了关键的见解.
- 肺鱼历史上早期发生了快速的进化变化,塑造了该群体的关键特征.
- 这一发现表明,在纪早期,南中国与北美之间存在生物地理联系.
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