Figure 5

The Cambrian Explosion

The sudden appearance of nearly 100 disparate body plans with extremely low species diversity supports the conclusion that neither gradual Darwinian evolution nor lower taxon-level punctuations can account for the origin of the higher taxa and the major body plans. In the history of life on earth, disparity typically precedes diversity.


return to article

Copyright © 1998 Art Battson. All rights reserved. International copyright secured.