By Canadian Press

Fish fingers: Origin of human hand and land animals found in ancient fish fossil

Mar 19, 2020 | 8:54 AM

Quebec researchers have found a fossil that they say is from one of the first animals to climb out of the ancient seas to live on land.

They say the fins of the 350-million-year-old fish contain finger-like bones that are probably the origin of the human hand.

Richard Cloutier of the University of Quebec at Rimouski says the fossil was found about 10 years ago at a site in Quebec that has produced many fossils from the time when animals were beginning to crawl out of the oceans onto land.

The fins of the one-and-a-half-metre, well-preserved fossil have at least two sets of finger bones in each.

Cloutier says the beast could probably breathe both air and in water.

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He says its mouthful of teeth suggest it was one of the top predators of its age.

Cloutier calls his discovery a true hybrid between fish and the four-legged creatures that would come to dominate the continents. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 19, 2020

The Canadian Press