Dawn of the Deed. (cover story)

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  • Author(s): Long, John A.
  • Source:
    Scientific American. Jan2011, Vol. 304 Issue 1, p34-39. 6p. 5 Color Photographs, 1 Diagram.
  • Additional Information
    • Subject Terms:
      FOSSIL fishes; SCIENTIFIC discoveries; FISH reproduction; ANIMAL sexual behavior; BIOLOGICAL evolution; SPAWNING; VERTEBRATE evolution
    • Abstract:
      The article discusses the discovery of fish fossils that revise the origin of copulation in vertebrates, which the author suggests could be a key turning point in evolution. A brief overview of the types of fishes found in the Gogo reef 375 million years ago, such as placoderms, is presented. Topics include the discovery of an ancient fish called Materpiscis, which is the earliest known example of internal fertilization, how the Materpiscis discovery helped solve a mystery about reproduction in ptyctodontids, and how a change in reproductive biology from spawning to internal fertilization may have been the driver to a major evolutionary event. INSETS: The Origin of Intercourse;Family Ties.