Research conducted by biologist Neelima Sharma at the University of Chicago reveals that synovial joints, known for improving mobility and stability, are present in cartilaginous jawed fish like skates, while absent in jawless fish. This finding supports the idea that synovial joints evolved in a common ancestor of jawed vertebrates, including humans. The study identified Bothriolepis canadensis, a fish from the Devonian period, as the oldest known fossil evidence of synovial joints, shedding light on vertebrate evolution.
Humans and other land vertebrates share synovial joints with jawed fish, which allow for greater mobility and stability in movement.
The origin of synovial joints was uncertain until Neelima Sharma's research revealed they appear in cartilaginous jawed fish like skates but not in jawless fish.
The fossil record indicates that the oldest known specimen with synovial joints is Bothriolepis canadensis, a fish from 387-360 million years ago.
Understanding the evolutionary origins of synovial joints may illustrate the shared ancestry of jawed vertebrates, including humans.
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