Paleontologists did not just stumble across Tiktaalik, they formed a hypothesis about where they would find a transitional form between fish and tetrapods. What might have been the logical first step in deciding where to "look" for a transitional form between fish and tetrapods?
A)They considered regions of the world where fossilization is likely to occur.
B)They looked for sedimentary rocks that were formed in shallow waters 370-380 million years ago.
C)They looked for sedimentary rocks that were formed in deep waters 370-380 million years ago.
D)They looked for sedimentary rocks that also contained fossils of the first land plants.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The logical first step in deciding where to "look" for a transitional form between fish and tetrapods would be to look for sedimentary rocks that were formed in shallow waters 370-380 million years ago. This is because during this time period, the first tetrapods evolved from fish and it is likely that the transitional form would have lived in shallow waters. Sedimentary rocks in shallow waters would also be more likely to contain fossilized remains of aquatic organisms.

Paleontologists Did Not Just Stumble Across Tiktaalik, They Formed a Hypothesis