Claim CC213:
No unambiguous transitional fossils have been found between amphibians and
reptiles. Distinguishing transitionals between these two groups is
problematic because their bone structures are similar. Just because it
is hard to tell whether a fossil is reptile or amphibian does not mean it
is transitional between the two.
Source:
Morris, Henry M., 1974. Scientific Creationism, Green Forest, AR: Master
Books,
p. 83.
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 1985. Life--How Did It Get
Here? Brooklyn, NY, p. 73.
Response:
- The main character that separates amphibians (primitive tetrapods)
from reptiles (amniotes) is possession of an amnion, which does not
fossilize. We have a lot of Permian creatures; some are early amniotes
and some likely are not. There are no unambiguous intermediates
between the two groups like Acanthostega between fish and
tetrapods, or Morganucodon between
reptiles and mammals.
However, the same uncertainty means there is no clear gap between the
amphibians and reptiles, either.
created 2003-6-13
