Did Fish Evolve into Birds and Mammals?

Did Fish Evolve into Birds and Mammals?

I do set My bow in the cloud

Evolutionists commonly assume that fish evolved into amphibians, then to reptiles, then to birds and mammals. This scenario is, however, contradicted by the following article, which asserts that fish developed into a different line than birds and mammals:


        TITLE: The mitochondrial DNA molecule of the hagfish (Myxine 
               glutinosa) and vertebrate phylogeny.

       AUTHOR: Rasmussen, Ann-Sofie; Janke, Axel; Arnason, Ulfur.

 AUTHOR AFFIL: Div. Evolutionary Molecular Systematics, Dep. Genetics, 
               Univ. Lund, Solvegatan 29, S-223 62 Lund, Sweden.

 SOURCE TITLE: Journal of Molecular Evolution 46, no. 4 (April,
               1998): 382-388.

     ABSTRACT: The vertebrates are traditionally classified into two 
               distinct groups, Agnatha (jawless vertebrates) and 
               Gnathostomata (jawed vertebrates). Extant agnathans are 
               represented by hagfishes (Myxiniformes) and lampreys 
               (Petromyzontiformes), frequently -grouped together within the 
               Cyclostomata. Whereas the recognition of the Gnathostomata as 
               a clade is commonly acknowledged, a consensus has not been 
               reached regarding whether or not Cyclostomata represents a 
               clade. In the present study we have used  newly established 
               sequences of the protein-coding genes of the mitochondrial 
               DNA molecule of the hagfish to explore agnathan and 
               gnathostome relationships. The phylogenetic analysis of 
               Pisces, using echinoderms as outgroup, placed the hagfish as 
               a sister group of Vertebrata sensu stricto, i.e., the lamprey 
               and the gnathostomes. The phylogenetic analysis of the 
               Gnathostomata identified a basal divergence between 
               gnathostome fishes and a branch leading to birds and mammals, 
               i.e., between  "Anamnia" and Amniota. The lungfish has a 
               basal position among gnathostome fishes with the teleosts as 
               the most recently evolving lineage. The findings portray a 
               hitherto unrecognized polarity in the evolution of bony 
               fishes. The presently established relationships are 
               incompatible with previous molecular studies.
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