Our Fishy Ancestors Had Fins Made for Walking

One of the first creatures to live on land sported surprisingly strong hips and fins.

One of the first "fish" to walk on land some 375 million years ago made its way with surprisingly strong hips and fins, report paleontologists.

Unearthed in the Canadian Arctic in 2006, Tiktaalik roseae, a genus of early land-walking fish, made headlines with news of its discovery, which was funded by the National Geographic Society. The new report fleshes out how our ancient four-limbed ancestors first made the move from water to land. (See pictures: "Nine Fish With 'Hands' Found to Be New Species.")

"They're big—the hips of Tiktaalik look very robust," says University of Chicago paleontologist Neil Shubin, who led the study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The find suggests that the pelvic

DON'T MISS THE REST OF THIS STORY!
Create a free account to continue and get unlimited access to hundreds of Nat Geo articles, plus newsletters.

Create your free account to continue reading

No credit card required. Unlimited access to free content.
Or get a Premium Subscription to access the best of Nat Geo - just $19
SUBSCRIBE

Read This Next

SeaWorld violated the Animal Welfare Act. Why is it still open?
'World’s worst shipwreck' was bloodier than we thought
World’s first ultrasounds of wild manta rays reveal a troubling truth

Go Further

Subscriber Exclusive Content

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet