The way we were.Tiktaalik may not have left the water by choice, to avoid predators, or to get more oxygen. Instead, it might have found itself left behind on a muddy floodplain floodplain, level land along the course of a river formed by the deposition of sediment during periodic floods. Floodplains contain such features as levees, backswamps, delta plains, and oxbow lakes. each time waters receded with the tide ("Amphibious Ancestors," SN: 6/17/06, p. 379). Tiktaalik's "limbs" were probably first developed to survive in an environment that required bracing and stabilizing against currents, rather than maneuvering around rocks, plant limbs, or the water's edges. DANIEL PANKRATZ, HUNTINGTON BEACH Huntington Beach, city (1990 pop. 181,519), Orange co., S Calif., on the Pacific coast, across from Santa Catalina Island, in an oil-producing area; inc. 1909. It manufactures aerospace vehicles, aircraft parts, optical instruments, and heat transfer equipment. , CALIF. "It's more likely that such creatures, not wanting to become a meal themselves, were escaping aquatic predators...." Even paleontologists slip into teleological tel·e·ol·o·gy n. pl. tel·e·ol·o·gies 1. The study of design or purpose in natural phenomena. 2. The use of ultimate purpose or design as a means of explaining phenomena. 3. language sometimes, don't they? Or has the theory of natural selection been revised to permit fish the thought processes of reason and foresight? DAVID David, in the Bible David, d. c.970 B.C., king of ancient Israel (c.1010–970 B.C.), successor of Saul. The Book of First Samuel introduces him as the youngest of eight sons who is anointed king by Samuel to replace Saul, who had been deemed a failure. S. COFFMAN, NIPIMO, CALIF. |
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