Early fish emerged in shallow waters near the coast

All major groups of more primitive vertebrates, particularly fish, originated and diversified in tidal, intertidal and subtidal environments, ie, shallow waters close to the coast, for a period of 100 million years. [19659002] This is the main argument of a detailed study, led by paleobiloga of the University of Pennsylvania, Lauren Sallan, published yesterday by the journal Science. To reach their conclusions, the team of scientists badyzed a series of fossil vertebrates aged 480 to 360 million years, but known as the Middle Paleozoic, as well as information on the species. environment in which they lived.

diversified, the body adaptations allowed them to extend to other environments. While creatures with a more robust or armored structure have stayed in near-shore habitats or freshwater habitats, those with more flexible bodies have chosen to migrate to deeper water areas. to avoid increased competition with coastal habitat species, because they are shallow and confined, they were full of life.

Until now, these ecosystems have remained an appropriate place for species diversification, says biologist Catalina Pimiento in a publication attached to the study in the journal Science. "The Sallan-led work shows us that without shallow water habitats, vertebrates like us would probably not have evolved, which is disturbing, it's precisely these ecosystems that have been the most altered by human activities, "he writes.

Although the strongest and most heavily armored fish are thought to have emerged in the shallow and easiest waters of the high seas, the study reveals that they had a common origin in low-lying areas waters. "It looked a bit like Edn's garden of fish," says Chilean paleontologist Alexander Vargas, director of Ring Fsil's recording project and the evolution of vertebrates.

This trend continues as evolution evolves. "As new groups of fish appear, they also appear first in coastal environments".

The study also shows that from these coastal waters, it is very easy to adapt to continental freshwater habitats. "Our ancestors come from there, they are marine forms that are pbaded into the fresh waters and then become amphibians, with the ability to move in terrestrial environments."

The investigation solves a long-standing dilemma with respect to the scarcity of fossil material of vertebrates in the Middle Paleozoic. Few documents are thought to have been obtained, but in reality they have not evolved to live in deep waters. "So few vertebrates were found for this period, that's because the very first ones had a habitat restricted to coastal areas."