that scottish 6 foot amphibian with forelimbs around 6 inches long, I know it. Plus most of the earlier tetrapods like ichthyostega acanthostega had gills and very weak limbs that served more to guide the animal through tangled growth then to move on land. They probably only really went on land to escape aquatic predators or attack shoreside prey. they were hardly adapted to remain out of water in heat and low oxygen might have been a true achilles heel considering that they had very inefficient lungs. as oxygen levels rose in the later carboniferous this would have promoted tetrapods to adapt to land and move back into the marshes that they abandoned earlier in the carboniferous.
carboniferous fossil gap
- Thread starter DariusAmurdarja
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Thats true. I must say its hard to think about Ichtyostega and acanthostega. As you said both had gills like fish. Their limbs are weak and can´t hold their weight. We don´t even know for sure about their lungs. Maybe our recent bichirs can survie longer outside the water than those early tretapods could. One of those animals was found in marine sediments. That could mean it lived in the sea. I don´t know a single amphibium that lives in the sea so far.
I don´t know much about cane toads. They are pretty terrestrial. They are not good swimmers. You mean the toads are tolerant to salt water or the tadpoles?
i meant to your original question but cane toad tadpoles can survive salt concentrations 15% of salt water
i meant to your original question but cane toad tadpoles can survive salt concentrations 15% of salt water
I didn´t know that. But i would not go so far and call them marine.
I didn´t know that. But i would not go so far and call them marine.
they're more salt tolerant then any other living amphibian. what are your theories on the amphibian fossil absence
they're more salt tolerant then any other living amphibian. what are your theories on the amphibian fossil absence
As i said, the Archaeopteris did build up the first forests during that time. Those trees had massive roots and opened the upper surface. They created the first real soil. Erosion could swep much more nurtitions and ions into the rivers and the sea. I believe that created a massive algae bloom and lowered the oxygen level rapidly. From that point on i agree completly with your theory. Another factor could be, that we simply search at the wrong places.
As i said, the Archaeopteris did build up the first forests during that time. Those trees had massive roots and opened the upper surface. They created the first real soil. Erosion could swep much more nurtitions and ions into the rivers and the sea. I believe that created a massive algae bloom and lowered the oxygen level rapidly. From that point on i agree completly with your theory. Another factor could be, that we simply search at the wrong places.
true, i believe we have found about 1% of all fossil species. it's just so unlikely for something to fossilize, let alone well
true, i believe we have found about 1% of all fossil species. it's just so unlikely for something to fossilize, let alone well
True...imagine all the different ecosystems that don´t support any fossilization. Mountains, highlands, deserts, permafrost environments, deep sea...
