Going for a Swim: Influences of Terrestrial Ancestry on Land-to-Sea Transformations

This 40-minute lecture presented by Dr. Kiersten Formoso from Rutgers University at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology explores how terrestrial ancestry influenced evolutionary adaptations in animals that transitioned from land to sea environments. Discover how aquatic tetrapods such as mosasaurs and whales developed similar features like fins, flippers, and streamlined bodies despite evolving from land ancestors with vastly different body forms and locomotion methods. Learn about the fascinating evolutionary pathways that led to convergent aquatic adaptations while still being constrained by their diverse terrestrial origins.