Posted on 07/09/2008 9:23:15 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Some odd-looking fish fossils discovered in the bowels of several European museums may help solve a lingering question about evolutionary theory, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday.
The 50 million-year-old fossils -- which have one eye near the top of their heads -- help explain how flatfish such as flounder, sole and halibut developed the strange but useful trait of having both eyes on one side.
For flatfish, which lie on their sides at the bottom of the sea, this arrangement gives them the use of two watchful eyes.
But the trait has posed a problem for evolutionary biologists because no one had found any so-called transitional fossils -- fossils showing intermediate steps in the evolution of this trait.
"The important thing about this study is it delivers evidence of those intermediates," said Matt Friedman of The Field Museum and the University of Chicago, whose study appears in the journal Nature.
This missing link in the evolution of flatfishes has been seen as a hole in the theory of natural selection.
The argument is that intermediate forms of these fish could not exist because there would be no survival benefit from having one eye that was slightly off center, but still on the opposite side of the head.
Biologists have theorized that maybe the changes occurred all at once with a large-scale mutation. According to this popular "hopeful monster" theory, flatfishes developed this weird trait, which luckily turned out to be very useful.
Friedman's find now suggests that flatfishes followed a more conventional evolutionary plan. "There was no macromutation that all of a sudden gave them both eyes on the same side of the head," he said in a telephone interview.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
This undated handout image shows an evolutionary tree with the gradual anatomical changes in the evolution of flatfishes resulting in the origin of their extraordinary, modern body plan. Some odd-looking fish fossils discovered in the bowels of several European museums may help solve a lingering question about evolutionary theory, U.S. researchers said on July 9, 2008. (M. Friedman/The Field Museum/Handout./Reuters)
Oh yeah...that explains Everything.
Why do evolutionists always post drawings to illustrate their theory? Why not real-life examples?
I hear ya. Personally, I would love to go digging thru the old fossil bins in the Field Museum.
No telling what else one might find.
I would reply but it would serve no porpoise.
Well then, tartar for now.
“... this arrangement gives them the use of two watchful eyes.”
Flat lot of gig it does ‘em too...
Graphic on the evolution of flatfish, a group of species with an unusual adaptation whereby two eyes are on one side of its asymmetrical head. (AFP Graphic)
It's obvious. The fish evolved to get its eyes out of the museum dirt. While it was doing so, it also evolved lungs so it could breath the air in the drawer.
It could also be that the fish swam in a government school and its viewpoint became biased.
Seriously, I wonder if the scientist was able to disprove the possibility that the fish were killed and fossilized during the stage of their life cycle when the eye had only moved partway around.
Seriously, I wonder if the scientist was able to disprove the possibility that the fish were killed and fossilized during the stage of their life cycle when the eye had only moved partway around.
—
It could have been caused by either a sudden onset of global warming or a rapid cooling from an ice age. but I like your first offering , sounds very possible compared to the global warming rants of today..
Unless you are a degreed biologist, it is out of plaice for you to to even dab at this subject. You ought turbot out and let the evolutionists do all the talking. Hold your tonguefish.
bait me all you wish, i shan’t bite.
 |
 |
 |
| Ancestor | Intermediate | Present |
To get some perspective, I just went back and read the first chapter of Genesis. Very simple and straightforward. But I suspect that if the same level of scutiny we applied to this account of creation as I see given to the theory of evolution, it would appear to be no more credible than a fairy tale.
Nice butter sauce with a smidgin’ of pepper.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.