Meet Orthrozanclus (down with phyla!)

In addition, when discussing the origin of major body plans, it is likely that the genetic and morphological gaps in the Cambrian were much smaller than the present disparity of phyla would suggest.

Re "when discussing the origin of major body plans, it is likely that the genetic and morphological gaps in the Cambrian were much smaller than the present disparity of phyla would suggest."

Isn't that also a direct prediction of the current ToE? (I.E., If the data said otherwise the theory would have a problem.)

Henry

as nick mentioned in a post a few days ago, the 'origin' of a new higher taxon would appear at the time to be just another speciation event. i'm pretty sure that the debate over what phylum to put these critters in simply reflects our post-hoc examination. perhaps at the time, they had diverged only to family (or less?) level, and our procrustean (thanks for the adj., SJ Gould!) efforts to assign them into one or the other phylum fails because they did not (yet) belong exclusively to one or the other.

But it's still a....

... no, actually, what the hell is that thing? :)

It looks like those things I used to comb out of my dog's fur, after a romp in the meadow.

How come the Discovery Institute never, well, discovers anything like this?

How come the Discovery Institute never, well, discovers anything like this?

How come the Discovery Institute never, well, discovers anything like this?

This reminds me of an argument in which a creationist tried to tell me that remote ancestors of horses weren't "really" horse ancestors becasue they are also ancestors of rhinoceroses. "So which is it? A horse or a rhino?"

So your grandfather isn't really your ancestor because he's also your cousin's grandfather. Well, which is he, you or your cousin?

Two more gaps in the fossil record to explain.

Ah ha! Two MORE gaps in the fossil record.

Oh yeah, well if you and your cousin have the same grandmother, why is your grandmother still around? How many gaps is that?

Re "You'd think they'd have found some bunnies in the Precambrian by now."

Yeah, where's Elmer Fudd when they need him?

Re "You'd think they'd have found some bunnies in the Precambrian by now." Yeah, where's Elmer Fudd when they need him?

— Henry J

Ah ha! Two MORE gaps in the fossil record.

How come the Discovery Institute never, well, discovers anything like this?

Just to reiterate two important points: All fossils are transitional fossils. All species are transistional species, including our own.

All fossils are transitional fossils. All species are transistional species, including our own.

Look, another neat discovery NOT made by the Disgusting Institute:

"Something old is now something new, thanks to Lamar University researcher Jim Westgate and colleagues. The scientists' research has led to the discovery of a new genus and species of primate, one long vanished from the earth but preserved in the fossil record."

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/04/070409161526.htm

Re "But it's still a....... no, actually, what the hell is that thing? :)"

The common ancestor of modern dust bunnies?

*sigh* to Flint

Yes, extinction is one form of transition, and perhaps the dominant one. Note the difference, however, between terminal extinctions (read robust australopithines in the paleaoanthropology world) versus transitional extinctions (e.g., in most academic circles, Homo habilis (sensu lato) to Homo erectus (sensu lato).

Still, I'll expect something from the folks at AiG on this one as well over the next few days.

Your post's very good. I like it.
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http://www.vietnam-travelinfo.com/

Vietnam travel said: Your post's very good. I like it. --------------------------------- http://www.vietnam-travelinfo.com/