Livoniana

Livoniana
Temporal range: Devonian
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Sarcopterygii
Order: Elpistostegalia
Family: Panderichthyidae
Genus: Livoniana
Species: L. multidentata
Binomial name
Livoniana multidentata
Ahlberg et al., 2000

Livoniana is a genus of prehistoric lobe-finned fish which lived during the Devonian period (Givetian - Frasnian stages, about 374 - 391 million years ago).[1]

This species is a transitional form between fish and the earliest tetrapods, like Tiktaalik, Ichthyostega and Acanthostega. Before Livoniana there was Elginerpeton and Obruchevichthys.

Four legs developed in water, not on land, to better escape waterliving predatory creatures like Hyneria. There were very lush forests, and particularly swamps, where four limbs became very useful to avoid predators. [2]

References

  1. Ahlberg, P.E., E. Luksevics and E. Mark-Kurik. 2000. "A near-tetrapod from the Baltic Middle Devonian". Paleontology 43(3): 533-548.
  2. http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/horizon/2000/missinglink_transcript.shtml
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