Saturday, September 28, 2013

A Jaw-Dropping Discovery (Literally)

Meet entelognathus primordialis -- the first-known animal to ever have a FACE!

Entelognathus primordialis means "primordial complete jaw." The fish is the oldest known animal to have face-forming jaw and cheek bones comparable to those of today's bony fishes and most terrestrial animals, including humans.

Why fish evolved cheek and jaw bones is still a mystery, but scientists believe it may have helped in feeding and catching prey away from the sea floor.

Archaeologists found the 419-million-year-old fish at Xiaoxiang Reservoir in Quijing, Yunnann, China.

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