Canadian Museum of Nature to keep 375-million-year-old fossil of prehistoric fish

According to the Canadian Museum of Nature, a 375-million-year-old fossil of a prehistoric fish, which also has features of the first four-limbed creatures, is with the museum. As per reports, the fossil is called Tiktaalik.

It has a neck like tetrapods and a flat head however also sports fins, scales and gills similar to fish. It is said that discovery of the fossil significantly increased understanding of the evolution of finned to limbed animals.

In 2004, the fossil was discovered by American researchers on southern Ellesmere Island. Their studies were discussed all over the world as the fossil reveals information regarding the early evolution of vertebrates. Tiktaalik is considered as the most important fossil found in the high arctic and it has been brought home to Canada by the American scientists.

Edward (Ted) Daeschler, one of the researchers, said in a statement, "Now that our primary research is completed, the return of these fossils to Canada and their access at the Canadian Museum of Nature makes new discoveries possible by other scientists with questions about the evolution of life".

The fossils consist of approximately 60 specimens of Tiktaalik roseae; three or four out of them show the shoulders, skull and fins. An additional 120 pieces of two other specimens of lobe-finned fossil fish are also among them that belong to the Late Devonian Period.

According to Mark Graham, museum vice-president, the Canadian Museum of Nature thanked after accepting these fossils for future scientific research, where they will be presented as part of the Nunavut collections.