Amniotes

Amphibians were not the last word in tetrapods. Luckily for all vertebrates that enjoy a fully terrestrial lifestyle, a new type of animal walked onto the scene, with a very important development in tow.

Amniotes from Ted Rogers on Vimeo.

Professor Richmond says it's a very common misconception that reptiles "evolved from some kind of salamander that suddenly grew claws." Instead, the last common ancestor to reptiles and amphibians was, "A tetrapod, yes, but still very, very fishlike."

As we prepare to leave the first floor, take a look at the exhibit behind you. These skeletons were collected by geology students from Amherst College in the early parts of the 20th century. Notice the vast differences in how these animals were preserved.

A picture perfect skeleton like this camel is a paleontologist's dream.



The jigsaw puzzle of Oreodonts is the reality. Sometimes it's a wonder that bones get preserved at all. Scavengers, weather, and rot dispose of most skeletons before they become fossilized. Any skeleton, even a jumbled one, is a diamond in the rough.



Now, it's time to go down the stairs next to you and enter a lost world.