New discovery: Human ancestors are sharks

Humans evolved from a prehistoric shark 300 million years ago, scientists said.

>>>Strange sharks show up in the Pacific Ocean

The prehistoric fish called Acanthodes bronni is the ancestor of many vertebrate animals and jaws on the earth, including humans.

The analysis of a skull from 290 million years ago shows that it is an animal of the jaw bone (gnathostome), consisting of tens of thousands of vertebrates today, including fish and birds. , reptiles, mammals and humans.

Acanthodes, the Greek word meaning 'thorny' , existed before prehistoric sharks and many bones separated. Fossil samples are found in Europe, North America and Australia.

Picture 1 of New discovery: Human ancestors are sharks
Sketch of Acanthodes bronni fish, human ancestors.(Source: Daily Mail)

Compared to many spiny sharks, the ancient sharks are relatively large in size. They carry, not teeth, large eyes and live on plankton.

'Unexpectedly, Acanthodes turned out to give us the best view of the ancestors of spiny and shark fishes ,' said Professor Michael Coates, a biologist at the University of Chicago and co-author of the study. , to speak.

Cartilage fish, including sharks, rays, and ratfish today are separated from bony fish 420 million years ago. But the earliest ancestors of humans, stingrays and giant white sharks are still very little known.