Is it true that mammals evolved from reptiles?
Miscellaneous / / January 03, 2022
Let's analyze a popular scientific myth that many of us have been repeating since school.
In most popular science books, as well as biology textbooks, you can find the statement that mammals - including us humans - descended from reptiles. And this delusion has become entrenched in the minds of even the most educated individuals.
But in fact, it is wrong to say so from the point of view of modern science. It's like approveas if your cousin gave birth to you. Mammals and reptiles share common roots, but are not ancestors of each other.
This is a very popular myth, akin to the origin of man from a monkey.
Modern mammals descended from cynodontsF. Zachos, R. Asher. Mammalian Evolution, Diversity and Systematics - animals that appeared in the late Permian period, about 260 million years ago. These are warm-blooded fluffy animals that could lay eggs.
They were the first in the history of the planet to learn to chew and breathe at the same time, by the way. So it's thanks to their genes that you can dine without holding your breath.
Cynodont of the genus Trirachodon of the early Triassic period from South Africa. Image: Nobu Tamura / Wikimedia Commons
And what's left of him. Image: Karen Neoh / Wikimedia Commons
Cinodonts, on the other hand, at one time stood out from the synapsids - a very diverse group of animals, which in biology textbooks are called beast-lizards. The chapters about these creatures are accompanied by pictures with a variety of large toothy creatures, which resemble a cross between a monitor lizard and a hippopotamus and carry the intriguing names of Moschops, Lystrosaurus and tetraceratops.
After reading such words, most people will consider these animals some kind of dinosaurs, and therefore, reptiles. But this is not true.
The Latin word "zavr" (sauria), “Lizard,” does not necessarily indicate that you are looking at a reptile. At the beginning of the 19th century, they generally called them names almost every unearthed skeleton, because it was difficult to deal with that level of development of science, dinosaur this or someone else. The most famous example is the BasilosaurusW. F. Perrin. Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals, which on closer inspection turned out to be a prehistoric whale.
Synapsids were really consideredT. A. Vaughan. Mammalogy reptiles - at the beginning of the 20th century, at the dawn of scientific knowledge. But since then, scientists figured out who is who, and now Synapsida placed in its well-deserved place as an independent class, which is not included in the reptile class, as before.
Synapsids and sauropsids, which include modern reptiles and birds, are sister groups of animals, not parental ones. Our evolutionary paths with them parted about 320 million years ago, in the Carboniferous period. In general, take a look at the diagram and you will understand.
We, synapsids (henceforth you can call all mammals, including your dog), with sauropsids (reptiles and birds) occurredR. Cowen. History of life from a group of ancient animals called basal amniotes.
Diadectomorph, the most likely ancestor of amniotes, originally from Asia, Carboniferous period. Image: Dmitry Bogdanov / Wikimedia Commons
And what's left of him. Image: Ghedoghedo / American Museum of Natural History / Wikimedia Commons
They looked like modern reptiles in appearance, but had many internal differences, and it is wrong to call them reptiles. Amniotes, on the other hand, were given rise to by amphibians, which, in turn, emerged from ancient cross-finned fish. Here.
In general, if you are asked who the mammals originated from, do not say "from reptiles" and even more so "from dinosaurs", or put yourself in an awkward position. Answer: "We, synapsids, descended from basal amniotes", and everyone will be surprised at your erudition. Well, or they will say “Don't be smart!” If you mention this in the presence of school teachers.
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I am a journalist with a passion for technology and science. Digging into Windows settings, making my regular TV smart, and reflashing my Android as a hobby. I am also interested in space, history, zoology and watch a lot of movies. I love to talk about crazy fan theories and debunk pseudoscientific myths. I have a fondness for Linux (but not enough to use it all the time).
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