Numerous are the fossils in the fossil record that reveal evolutionary transition from one to the other. Yet, despite the persistence of an unquestioned scientific consensus of its existence, proponents of Intelligent Design Theory consistently claim the non-existence of fossil evolutionary transitions. There exists their lack of academic integrity – though this be unnoticed by the lay person – that which reveals the ultimatum of unquestioned conformation to religious dogma. Such is ingenuity of the credulity of religion!
The intent of this post is to reveal the numerous reports of transitional fossils, and to thereby affirm the theory of Evolution. However, before I go onto the main course of my argument, I must first establish some ground…
I shall here attempt to summarize what I know of evolutionary terminology and common knowledge among evolutionary biologists. The taxonomy is a classification system that does not reveal evolutionary transition, but merely the significant similarities between differing organisms – evolutionary transition is the task of the Tree of Life. Its order of classification is the following: Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species – from general to specific similarities. Also, an group of organisms within a population is named a species only if this group is unable to interbreed with other differing groups of the population due to behavioral, physiological, or/and gamete-recognition differences. However, because fossils are dead and its body mostly decomposed, they can only be at best categorized into a genus. Species-related inquiries are harder to decipher. Yet knowledge regarding how geological processes (such as Continental Drift, natural disasters and soil erosion) destroy parts of the fossil record, the question of species of differing fossils is non-existent since the fossil record is incomplete. This seemingly controvertible state of affairs does not, however, necessarily follow that it justifies the so-called ‘gaps’ in the fossil record, for these gaps are so small that it in actuality spans variably but, for argument’s sake, approximately a few hundred years – when taken that biological evolution lasted for the past 3.5 billion years. Macro-gradations do indeed exist, such as the ‘mammal-like reptiles’ called synapsids. The only gaps that exist are of the micro ones, such as the intermediate of intermediates between races or breeds of one individual species. That is, a fine gradation is indeed impossible, but a macro one is indisputably present.
This is the simplified macro-presentation of the evolutionary history of all living things:
There are three evolutionary lineages starting from (1) Fish (2) Arthropods (3) Molluscs.
(1) Fishes start off from jawless fish aka agnathans (in the Cambrian Period and thrive till today). However, while some thrive on, others diverged into Bony Rhipidistian Fish (in the Ordovician period). Intermediates are Sharks (lives till today) then Plactoderms (lived only till Late Devonian period). While Bony Fish thrive, some evolved into Amphibians (transition in middle to late Devonian Period). While Amphibians thrive till today, some of them evolved into Anapsid Reptiles (transitioning in the Early Carboniferous period), Basal Archosaurs aka Thecodonts (with intermediates along from the Early Carboniferous period to the Early Permian period), and the Pelicosaurs (with intermediates and transiting from Early Carboniferous period to Late Carboniferous period). Anapsid reptiles exist till today, while some evolved into Pareiasaurs (thrived from Early Permian period to Late Permian period). Two groups intermediate of Anapsid reptiles and Thecodonts are Diapsid reptiles (thrive from Middle Carboniferous period till today) and then the Marine Reptiles (thrive from Late Carboniferous period till today). Intermediates of Amphibians and Pelicosaurs are Synapsids. Mosasaurs first evolved from Diapsid reptiles (thrived from Middle Jurassic period to Late Cretaceous period) and Snakes next evolved from Diapsid reptiles (from Late Jurassic period till today). Marine Reptiles diverged into 3 groups (in between Early and Late Permian period), these being Nothosaur (till Late Triassic period), Ichthyosaur (till Late Cretaceous Period) and Plesiosaur Reptiles (till Late Cretaceous Period). While some Thecodonts thrived (till Late Triassic Period), some of them evolved into Dinosaurs. These Dinosaurs split into five lineages: the Theropods (from Early to Middle Triassic period, lasting till the Late Cretaceous period), the Ornithischians (from Early to Middle Triassic period, lasting till the Late Cretaceous period), the Sauropodomorphs (from Early to Middle Triassic period, lasting till the Late Cretaceous period), the Pterosaurs (from Early to Middle Triassic period, lasting till the Late Cretaceous period), and the Crocodiles (from Early to Middle Triassic period, lasting till today). While some Theropods strive for some time, others of the Theropods diverged into Birds (from Middle Jurassic period till today). While some Pelicosaurs thrived for some time, some of them evolved into Dicynodonts (time period from Early Permian period to Late Triassic Period) which are characterized by intermediates called Therapsids. While some Dicynodonts thrived for some time, some of them evolved into Cynodonts (from Late Permian Period to Early Jurassic Period). While some Cynodonts thrived for some time, others evolved into mammals – the presence of primitive mammals first (around Early Jurassic Period). While some Primitive Mammals existed for some time, other Primitive Mammals evolved into Placentals (Late Jurassic period till today), characterized by two intermediates, these being Monotremes (from Middle Jurassic period till today) and then Marsupials (from Middle Jurassic period till today).
(2) Arthropods differentiated into four groups (in the Cambrian period), these being the Myriapods (exist till today), the Chelicerates (exist till today), the Trilobites (exist till Late Permian period), and the Anomalocarids (only existed in the Cambrian period). While Myriapods thrive, some of them evolved into Hexapods (from Silurian period till today). While some Chelicerates thrive, some evolved into Eurypterids (from Ordovician period to Late Permian period).
(3) Molluscs consist of Gastropods and Bivalves, of which some of them evolved into Cephalopod Molluscs (both exist from Cambrian period till today).
[Note: For thorough information on all the species, please go to the Encyclopedia of Life, which will be finished in 2008.
“…the Encyclopedia will be developed by bringing together (“mashing up”) content from a wide variety of sources. This material will then be authenticated by scientists, so that users will have authoritative information. As we move forward, Encyclopedia of Life and its board will work with scientists across the globe, securing the involvement of those individuals and institutions that are established experts on each species.” (Source of citation)]
Not only are the divergences clear in the fossil record, down to the genus level, the evidence is abundant. If proponents of Intelligent Design would like to simply target a few species, making their mere status become an intermediate fossil from a transitional fossil, and thereby thrust Evolutionary Theory as false, they are all committing the fallacy of straw-man argumentation. No matter how much they would like to remove of Evolutionary Theory, the innumerability of evolutionary transitions cannot be ignored just so that they may fulfill the goal of their political agenda – to get religion back into classrooms via legal means rather then through scientific consensus.
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