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.   Don’t just believe in evolution; actually be the whole of evolution.

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.  (From what one has seen on this planet… we still have a long way left to evolve.)               😉

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.   The first set of photos are of the Devonian fossil fish Osteolepis macrolepidotus.  They are examples of the classic Orkney fish, early Crossopterygian or “lobe-finned” fish, which gave rise to the tetrapods… (giving rise to the amphibians, reptiles, and mammals).  The partial fish shows the lower jaw with teeth.  Close-up views reveal detailed rays in the fin areas, with very large massive ray areas anteriorally.  Some residual gold pigmentation can still be seen in the scales of the specimens.  These are lungfish that developed lungs due to the low oxygen content of the freshwater lakes that they lived in.  From Orkney, Scotland; Devonian Period (400 million years old).  The complete fish is 15.4 cm long.

The last photo is of a Permian Amphibian fossil preserved in gray siltstone.  The specimen is lying on its side with all four legs showing.   (Corresponding bones in lungfish evolved into leg bones.)  There is a lot of detail in the large skull.  Soft body preservation is evident, showing the outline of the skin (which is really rare in fossils).  Details of the backbone vertebrae can be seen.  Teeth in the jaw can be seen. Permian Period, Oderheim, Glun, Germany (270 million years).  Amphibian is 5.5 cm long.

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.(Looking at these enlarged is highly recommended; left click on a photo… hit left return arrow to return.)

Great Grandpa & Grandma by Thomas Peace 2013

Great Grandpa by Thomas Peace 2013

Amphibian fossil by Thomas Peace 2013