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The evolution of tetrapods began about 400 million years ago in the Devonian Period with the earliest tetrapods evolved from lobe-finned fishes. [1] Tetrapods (under the apomorphy-based definition used on this page) are categorized as animals in the biological superclass Tetrapoda, which includes all living and extinct amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.
The evolution of fishes took place over a timeline which spans the Cambrian to the Cenozoic, including during that time in particular the Devonian, which has been dubbed the "age of fishes" for the many changes during that period. The Late Devonian extinctions played a crucial role in shaping the evolution of fish, or vertebrates in general. [1]
Pages in category "Evolution of tetrapods" The following 14 pages are in this category, out of 14 total. This list may not reflect recent changes. ...
This forms an important part of the evidence on which evolutionary theory rests, demonstrates that evolution does occur, and illustrates the processes that created Earth's biodiversity. It supports the modern evolutionary synthesis —the current scientific theory that explains how and why life changes over time.
The evolution of the digestive system has formed a significant influence in mammal evolution. With the emergence of mammals, the digestive system was modified in a variety of ways depending on the animal's diet. For example, cats and most carnivores have simple large intestines, while the horse as a herbivore has a voluminous large intestine. [127]
Support for this theory is exemplified through the fish-to-tetrapod transition, where animals began to populate terrestrial niches and a tremendous expansion of the olfactory system can be observed. [49] Once cetaceans evolved from their terrestrial ancestors, the reduction in their olfactory apparatus was primarily clade-specific.
Evolution of tetrapods (3 C, 14 P) R. Reptiliomorphs (5 C, 11 P) T. Tetrapod taxa (3 C) Pages in category "Tetrapods" The following 4 pages are in this category, out ...
However, most tetrapod species today are amniotes, most of which are terrestrial tetrapods whose branch evolved from earlier tetrapods early in the Late Carboniferous. The key innovation in amniotes over amphibians is the amnion , which enables the eggs to retain their aqueous contents on land, rather than needing to stay in water.