Morphological Intermediates  Have you ever heard of “missing links”?

Morphological Intermediates  Have you ever heard of “missing links”?  According to the theory of evolution, a series of intermediate forms between major groups of organisms existed in the past.

Morphological Intermediates  Have you ever heard of “missing links”?  According to the theory of evolution, a series of intermediate forms between major groups of organisms existed in the past.  In order words, if fish evolved into amphibians, we should be able to find in the fossil record an animal that was somewhere between a fish and an amphibian.

Morphological Intermediates  If dinosaurs evolved into birds, we should be able to find fossil evidence of the transition.

Morphological Intermediates  If dinosaurs evolved into birds, we should be able to find fossil evidence of the transition.  Scientists have suggested that Archaeopteryx is an example of this transition.

Morphological Intermediates  If dinosaurs evolved into birds, we should be able to find fossil evidence of the transition.  Scientists have suggested that Archaeopteryx is an example of this transition.  This suggestion is based on examining an organism’s structure or morphology.

Morphological Intermediates  Morphology refers to what an animal looks like – its structure or shape.

Morphological Intermediates  Morphology refers to what an animal looks like – its structure or shape.  Sometimes the creatures that share characteristics with different animals groups are called morphological intermediates.

Morphological Intermediates  Morphology refers to what an animal looks like – its structure or shape.  Sometimes the creatures that share characteristics with different animals groups are called morphological intermediates.  An example of a morphological intermediate would be a creature with some characteristics like a fish and others like an amphibian.

Morphological Intermediates  Morphology refers to what an animal looks like – its structure or shape.  Sometimes the creatures that share characteristics with different animals groups are called morphological intermediates.  An example of a morphological intermediate would be a creature with some characteristics like a fish and others like an amphibian.  Macroevolution predicts that morphological intermediates should be abundant in the fossil record.

Morphological Intermediates  Paleontologists acknowledge that the fossil record is no longer as incomplete as Darwin believed it was in his day.

Morphological Intermediates  Paleontologists acknowledge that the fossil record is no longer as incomplete as Darwin believed it was in his day.  In spite of this, they have found only a relatively small number of fossils that they consider to be transitions, or morphological intermediates.

Morphological Intermediates  Paleontologists acknowledge that the fossil record is no longer as incomplete as Darwin believed it was in his day.  In spite of this, they have found only a relatively small number of fossils that they consider to be transitions, or morphological intermediates.  None exists between kingdoms.

Morphological Intermediates  Paleontologists acknowledge that the fossil record is no longer as incomplete as Darwin believed it was in his day.  In spite of this, they have found only a relatively small number of fossils that they consider to be transitions, or morphological intermediates.  None exists between kingdoms.  None exist between phyla.

Morphological Intermediates  At the class level, scientists believe they have found evidence of intermediates between reptiles and birds

Morphological Intermediates  At the class level, scientists believe they have found evidence of intermediates between reptiles and birds,  but there are none between the jawless fish and jawed fish

Morphological Intermediates  At the class level, scientists believe they have found evidence of intermediates between reptiles and birds,  but there are none between the jawless fish and jawed fish  none between fish and with skeletons made of cartilage (sharks and rays) and those with bony skeletons.

Morphological Intermediates  At the order level scientists suggest that the four- legged creatures such as Ambulocetus may be morphologically intermediate between artiodactyls (hoofed animals such as pigs and camels) and whales

Morphological Intermediates  At the order level scientists suggest that the four- legged creatures such as Ambulocetus may be morphologically intermediate between artiodactyls (hoofed animals such as pigs and camels) and whales  but no intermediates have been found between other orders, such as insectivores and bats.

Morphological Intermediates  While most mammalian families lack morphological intermediates, scientists suggest that there is a sequence of horse transitions and the hominid transitions.

Morphological Intermediates  While most mammalian families lack morphological intermediates, scientists suggest that there is a sequence of horse transitions and the hominid transitions.  Hominids are ape-like animals that walked on two legs.

Morphological Intermediates  Instead of abundant transitional fossils that actually demonstrate one creature evolving into another, paleontologists usually find the abrupt appearance of new creatures in the fossil record, followed by stasis

Morphological Intermediates  Instead of abundant transitional fossils that actually demonstrate one creature evolving into another, paleontologists usually find the abrupt appearance of new creatures in the fossil record, followed by stasis  Stasis means “no change for long periods,”

Morphological Intermediates  Instead of abundant transitional fossils that actually demonstrate one creature evolving into another, paleontologists usually find the abrupt appearance of new creatures in the fossil record, followed by stasis  Stasis means “no change for long periods,”  After stasis it is followed by the replacement of one species with another.

Morphological Intermediates  Creationism would predict that no evolving intermediates should be found in the fossil record.

Morphological Intermediates  Creationism would predict that no evolving intermediates should be found in the fossil record.  Since distinct kinds of organisms were created by God, we would expect to find evidence of only separate creatures and not intermediate forms in the fossil records.

Morphological Intermediates  Creationism would predict that no evolving intermediates should be found in the fossil record.  Since distinct kinds of organisms were created by God, we would expect to find evidence of only separate creatures and not intermediate forms in the fossil records.  How should creationists respond to the claims of scientists regarding these morphological intermediates?

Morphological Intermediates  When thinking about this question, it is important to remember some things you have already learned:

Morphological Intermediates  When thinking about this question, it is important to remember some things you have already learned: 1.For macroevolution to occur, there must be a way for living organism to acquire the new genetic material necessary to create new body parts and processes. This new genetic material comes from mutations, or mistakes, that happen as DNA is duplicated. Must mutations are harmful.

Morphological Intermediates 2.Remember how the process of natural selection weeds out organisms that are less fit. Organisms with harmful mutations would be less likely to survive.

Morphological Intermediates 2.Remember how the process of natural selection weeds out organisms that are less fit. Organisms with harmful mutations would be less likely to survive. 3.Remember what you learned about irreducible complexity. Living organisms contain many systems made up of multiple parts that all must be present and in working order for the system to work at all.

Morphological Intermediates  How likely would it be for an entire system to evolve all at one from mutations?

Morphological Intermediates  How likely would it be for an entire system to evolve all at one from mutations?  If it evolved only part of the way, how likely would it be to survive while the rest of the system evolved?

Morphological Intermediates  How likely would it be for an entire system to evolve all at one from mutations?  If it evolved only part of the way, how likely would it be to survive while the rest of the system evolved?  It might be easy to look at a series of living organism and imagine that they evolved in that order.

Morphological Intermediates  How likely would it be for an entire system to evolve all at one from mutations?  If it evolved only part of the way, how likely would it be to survive while the rest of the system evolved?  It might be easy to look at a series of living organism and imagine that they evolved in that order.  But remember that lining things up in a sequence doesn’t demonstrate that they possessed the biological resources for such dramatic change.