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New fins evolve repeatedly in teleost fish


March 5, 2014

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Present in more than 6,000 living species of fish, the adipose fin, which lies between the dorsal fin and tail, has no clear function and is thought to be vestigial. However, a new study analyzing their origins finds that these fins arose repeatedly and independently in multiple species--a striking example of convergent evolution. In addition, adipose fins appear to have repeatedly and independently evolved a skeleton, offering a glimpse into the evolution of vertebrate appendages.Full Story

Source
University of Chicago Medical Center

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