The Conversation

When fish gave us the finger: this ancient four-limbed fish reveals the origins of the human hand

18-03-2020 Author: John Long, Strategic Professor in Palaeontology, Flinders University

Katrina Kenny, Author provided

One of the most significant events in the history of life was when fish evolved into tetrapods, crawling out of the water and eventually conquering land. The term tetrapod refers to four-limbed vertebrates, including humans.

To complete this transition, several anatomical changes were necessary. One of the most...

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