Why was the evolution of jaws an important event in vertebrate history?

The evolution of the jaw is one of the most significant innovations in vertebrate history. A jaw allowed vertebrates to exploit a wide range of food and engage in predation and defense. Jawed vertebrates arose from non-jawed vertebrates that had a pharyngeal gill apparatus composed of gill bars and slits.

1. What advantages did jaws bring to vertebrates?
2. What was the first advantage that the evolution of jaws gave to life?
3. What is the origin of jaws in vertebrates?
4. What is a key factor in the evolution of jaws that led to the diversification of vertebrates?
5. What are the advantages of being a vertebrate?
6. What did the jaw evolve from?
7. Why are jaws so important?
8. What are the advantages of jaws and movable paired fins?
9. What is the importance of jaws in Gnathostomata?
10. In what ways did the evolution of jaws contribute to the diversity of fishes we see today?
11. What does the Zimmer article propose as a reason for the development of jaws?
12. What happened during evolution that led to the appearance of jaws and skulls in chordates?
13. What two features were important developments during the evolution of fishes?
14. What are the advantages of invertebrates?
15. What evolutionary innovation was of key significant in helping tetrapods?

What advantages did jaws bring to vertebrates?

Jaws provide a powerful adaptive advantage to vertebrates because they greatly expand the range of available food sources. They also enhance the predatory ability of vertebrates, such as sharks, that are members of this early, jawed class.

What was the first advantage that the evolution of jaws gave to life?

It is thought that the original selective advantages offered by the jaw were not related to feeding, but to increases in respiration efficiency. The jaws were used in the buccal pump (observable in modern fish and amphibians) that pumps water across the gills of fish or air into the lungs in the case of amphibians.

What is the origin of jaws in vertebrates?

Jaws are thought to derive from the pharyngeal arches that support the gills in fish. ... Meckel's cartilage is a piece of cartilage from which the mandibles (lower jaws) of vertebrates evolved. Originally it was the lower of two cartilages which supported the first gill arch (nearest the front) in early fish.

What is a key factor in the evolution of jaws that led to the diversification of vertebrates?

The evolution of the jaw represents a key innovation in driving the diversification of vertebrate body plans and behavior. ... Major events in the evolution of jaw structure from agnathans to gnathostomes include axial regionalization of pharyngeal elements and formation of a jaw joint.

What are the advantages of being a vertebrate?

More cool traits about vertebrates are that they have muscles and skeletons. While the materials may vary, muscles allow vertebrates to move around very efficiently and perform complex moves.

What did the jaw evolve from?

The jaw evolved from repeating pharyngeal segments first present in chordate ancestors as respiratory structures, later giving rise to cartilaginous branchial baskets of jawless fishes and the bones and cartilages of the facial, upper and lower jaw, jaw support, and posterior gill or throat structures (viscero- or ...

Why are jaws so important?

The evolution of the jaw is one of the most significant innovations in vertebrate history. A jaw allowed vertebrates to exploit a wide range of food and engage in predation and defense. ... Anterior gill bars evolved into the jaw, which supports structures in vertebrates.

What are the advantages of jaws and movable paired fins?

Jaws afford fish a much greater ability to capture prey, and paired fins allow for greater stability in water and more maneuverability for escaping predators or capturing prey.

What is the importance of jaws in Gnathostomata?

The evolution of jaws allowed early gnathostomes to exploit food resources that were unavailable to the jawless animals. In early evolutionary history, there were gnathostomes (jawed fishes) and agnathans (jawless fishes).

In what ways did the evolution of jaws contribute to the diversity of fishes we see today?

Evolving from skeletal rods in pharyngeal slits, which are gill openings in the throat, hinged jaws led to new feeding and breathing opportunities. Fishes are animals that retained their gills as the jaw evolved, but now use those openings for breathing instead of filter feeding.

What does the Zimmer article propose as a reason for the development of jaws?

Paleontologists have believed that jaws evolved precisely because they made fish better predators. ... Gegenbaur proposed that the frontmost gill arches had become enlarged in some jawless fishes, allowing the mouth to clamp down on a wriggling victim. This innovation gradually led to full-blown jaws.

What happened during evolution that led to the appearance of jaws and skulls in chordates?

-Evolution of neural crests forming between the neural tube and ectoderm. These cells give rise to some structures unique to vertebrate skull and jaw. -The pharyngeal gill slits become gill slits associated with breathing.

What two features were important developments during the evolution of fishes?

The head and gills in the agnathans were protected by a heavy dermal armour; the tail region was free, allowing motion for swimming. Most important for the evolution of fishes and vertebrates in general was the early appearance of bone, cartilage, and enamel-like substance.

What are the advantages of invertebrates?

Some species of invertebrates are brilliant aerators of soil as well as creating it. In other words, invertebrates not only help us to grow food crops through pollination, they help create and maintain soil quality. This is important for growing in agriculture, as well as in gardens and allotments.

What evolutionary innovation was of key significant in helping tetrapods?

Amniotes comprise all fully terrestrial vertebrates and include extant squamates, turtles, crocodiles, birds and mammals. The origin of amniotes, tightly linked to the amniotic egg as a key innovation, represents a major transition in the evolutionary history of tetrapods.