New discovery of the evolution of mammals

[shunyadragon]

The evolution of mammals is very well documented, and one of the missing keys to evolution of mammals hearing has been discovered.

Source: https://www.unb.com.bd/category/World/ancient-fossils-clarify-evolution-of-mammalian-hearing/37390

Ancient fossils clarify evolution of mammalian hearing

Researchers have discovered ancient fossils of a new Cretaceous mammal species in northeast China's Liaoning Province, finding a missing piece of the jigsaw puzzle of mammalian hearing evolution.

The research was jointly conducted by paleontologists from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the American Museum of Natural History. Their findings were published in the latest issue of the journal Science.

An early mammal could hardly hear anything except its own chewing sounds while eating since its auditory bones were attached to its jaw. When and how the clear division of function between hearing and chewing in modern mammals formed in evolution remained a mystery.

The newly-discovered fossils were well-preserved, with the bone link between auditory bones and jaw gone, showing a direct separation of hearing and chewing modules in mammalian evolution, said Mao Fangyuan, a member of the research team from the IVPP.

The multi-directional movements of the jaw during chewing may have accelerated the detachment of the auditory bones from the jaw, according to the research.

The detachment of hearing and chewing modules in mammals eliminated their interference with each other and pushed the two modules' evolution forward, Mao said.

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[rogue06]

The fossil record of the evolutionary progression of the mammalian ear from three bones in the jaws of early synapsids is robustly documented. So much so that there is often serious debate whether to classify something as being more of a reptile-like mammal or a mammal-like reptile.

Still, it's great to add another link to the chain -- especially at such an important juncture.

Would like to see more on this in the scientific literature.

[shunyadragon]

The fossil record of the evolutionary progression of the mammalian ear from three bones in the jaws of early synapsids is robustly documented. So much so that there is often serious debate whether to classify something as being more of a reptile-like mammal or a mammal-like reptile.

Still, it's great to add another link to the chain -- especially at such an important juncture.

Would like to see more on this in the scientific literature.

Good! Post it when you find the reference.

[simplicio]

Good! Post it when you find the reference.

What! It just creates two more missing links, doubling the amount that we don't know and moving evolution closer to the ash heap of history. :)

[shunyadragon]

What! It just creates two more missing links, doubling the amount that we don't know and moving evolution closer to the ash heap of history. :)

The continuous discovery of intermediates in the evolution of life confirms evolution. This includes the diversity of variation within species, sub-species and varieties, which results in adaptation to environments over time. Religious agendas that offer no evidence, but make useless 'arguments from ignorance; cannot present a coherent scientific hypothesis that can be falsified.

This discovery is just one more of many intermediates for the evolution of mammals. What discoveries document your skepticism and religious agenda?

[simplicio]

The continuous discovery of intermediates in the evolution of life confirms evolution. This includes the diversity of variation within species, sub-species and varieties, which results in adaptation to environments over time. Religious agendas that offer no evidence, but make useless 'arguments from ignorance; cannot present a coherent scientific hypothesis that can be falsified.

This discovery is just one more of many intermediates for the evolution of mammals. What discoveries document your skepticism and religious agenda?

My post relied on the old quip that finding one missing link merely created a spot for two missing links, as well as the old argument that "Darwinism" is a theory headed to extinction, a prediction which is jas not come to pass

[shunyadragon]

My post relied on the old quip that finding one missing link merely created a spot for two missing links, as well as the old argument that "Darwinism" is a theory headed to extinction, a prediction which is jas not come to pass

Sarcasm?!?!

[rogue06]

Sarcasm?!?!

On Tweb?!?

I'm sho... well:

On a serious note, I believe this is the abstract from the paper in question from the OP (published in the journal Science December 5, 2019:

Source: Integrated hearing and chewing modules decoupled in a Cretaceous stem therian mammal

AbstractSource

© Copyright Original Source

And here is an article from ScienceDaily back in October: New Mesozoic Mammal: Discovery Illuminates Mammalian Ear Evolution While Dinosaurs Ruled