Tiktaalik roseae is a fascinating species that occupies a prominent place in the family tree of terrestrial vertebrates. It lived approximately 375 million years ago, during the Late Devonian period, on what is now Ellesmere Island, in the Canadian Arctic. This ancient organism is known to be one of the first examples of a tetrapodomorph, a group of animals that eventually gave rise to terrestrial vertebrates, including amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.
The importance of Tiktaalik lies in its unique combination of anatomical characteristics that make it a crucial link in the transition from the aquatic to the terrestrial environment. On the one hand, it has typical features of fish, such as scales, fins and gills, which indicates its aquatic life. On the other hand, it exhibits more terrestrial characteristics, such as a flexible spine, pectoral fins with upper and lower bone-like elements, and hip joints that suggest an ability to support its weight out of water.
The name Tiktaalik comes from Inuktitut, the language of the Inuit, meaning "large fish in salt water." This name reflects its semi-aquatic nature and its impressive size for an animal of its time. The species was discovered in 2004 by a team of scientists led by Neil Shubin, Ted Daeschler and Farish Jenkins.
Tiktaalik's reconstructions give us an intriguing glimpse into what the first vertebrates to make the move from the oceans to land might have been like. It is believed that these animals would have spent most of their time in shallow water, using their fins to move and search for prey, but they would also be able to move on the ground and breathe atmospheric air.
Approximate measurements of the Tiktaalik:
The importance of Tiktaalik lies in its unique combination of anatomical characteristics that make it a crucial link in the transition from the aquatic to the terrestrial environment. On the one hand, it has typical features of fish, such as scales, fins and gills, which indicates its aquatic life. On the other hand, it exhibits more terrestrial characteristics, such as a flexible spine, pectoral fins with upper and lower bone-like elements, and hip joints that suggest an ability to support its weight out of water.
The name Tiktaalik comes from Inuktitut, the language of the Inuit, meaning "large fish in salt water." This name reflects its semi-aquatic nature and its impressive size for an animal of its time. The species was discovered in 2004 by a team of scientists led by Neil Shubin, Ted Daeschler and Farish Jenkins.
Tiktaalik's reconstructions give us an intriguing glimpse into what the first vertebrates to make the move from the oceans to land might have been like. It is believed that these animals would have spent most of their time in shallow water, using their fins to move and search for prey, but they would also be able to move on the ground and breathe atmospheric air.
Approximate measurements of the Tiktaalik:
- Complete 1:35 Scale
- Length 52mm
- Height 14mm
- Snout-tail length 78 mm
- Complete 1:20 Scale
- Length 90mm
- Height 25mm
- Snout-tail length 135 mm
