%0 Journal Article
%A Clement, Alice M.
%A Cloutier, Richard
%A Lee, Michael S. Y.
%A King, Benedict
%A Vanhaesebroucke, Olivia
%A Bradshaw, Corey J. A.
%A Dutel, Hugo
%A Trinajstic, Kate
%A Long, John A.
%+ COOL, Department of Linguistic and Cultural Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Max Planck Society
%T A Late Devonian coelacanth reconfigures actinistian phylogeny, disparity, and evolutionary dynamics : 
%G eng
%U https://hdl.handle.net/21.11116/0000-000F-E051-8
%R 10.1038/s41467-024-51238-4
%7 2024-09-12
%D 2024
%* Review method: peer-reviewed
%X The living coelacanth Latimeria (Sarcopterygii: Actinistia) is an iconic, so-called ‘living fossil’ within one of the most apparently morphologically conservative vertebrate groups. We describe a new, 3-D preserved coelacanth from the Late Devonian Gogo Formation in Western Australia. We assemble a comprehensive analysis of the group to assess the phylogeny, evolutionary rates, and morphological disparity of all coelacanths. We reveal a major shift in morphological disparity between Devonian and post-Devonian coelacanths. The newly described fossil fish fills a critical transitional stage in coelacanth disparity and evolution. Since the mid-Cretaceous, discrete character changes (representing major morphological innovations) have essentially ceased, while meristic and continuous characters have continued to evolve within coelacanths. Considering a range of putative environmental drivers, tectonic activity best explains variation in the rates of coelacanth evolution. © The Author(s) 2024.
%K Animals; Biological Evolution; Fishes; Fossils; Phylogeny; Western Australia
%J Nature Communications
%V 15
%N 1
%] 7529
%@ 2041-1723