鱼的水下听力起源 在鱼的水下听力起源
1Department of Biological Anthropology and Anatomy, Duke University Medical School, Durham, North Carolina 27710.
Nature
|February 4, 1993
概括
最古老的,Pakicetus,拥有耳朵骨结构,介于陆地哺乳动物和现代类动物之间. 这一发现支持Pakicetus是两动物,类是鱼的最亲密的亲属.
科学领域:
- 古生物学的古生物学
- 比较解剖学的比较解剖学
- 进化生物学 进化生物学
背景情况:
- 化石和近期的鱼耳骨 (malleus,incus,stipes) 与陆地哺乳动物相似且不同.
- 了解鱼的进化需要检查早期化石形式.
研究的目的:
- 为了研究最早已知的鱼,Pakicetus的听觉解剖学.
- 为了确定鱼听力的进化阶段.
- 为了澄清鱼和陆地哺乳动物之间的关系.
主要方法:
- 对化石鱼耳骨 (,,) 和下骨进行比较分析.
- 检查帕基塞图斯听觉结构中的中间特征.
- 重建到耳朵的声波传输通路.
主要成果:
- 与陆地哺乳动物和现代类动物相比,Pakicetus的体在膨胀,比例和关节定位方面表现出中间特征.
- 帕基塞图斯的和下表明声音传输到耳朵类似于陆地哺乳动物.
- 化石证据表明,Pakicetus可能是两动物.
结论:
- 帕基塞图斯代表了鱼进化的关键过渡形式,桥梁陆地哺乳动物和水生鱼的听觉系统.
- 这些发现支持这样一个假设,即形动物是类动物的最近的现存亲属.
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