It was already known that some species of skates can move along the ocean floor by propelling themselves forward with small pelvic fins in a left-right motion. Their spine remains immobile. This style of locomotion also characterizes locomotion in tetrapods (mammals, birds, reptiles), so in essence, some species of skates can walk!
A team of researchers did RNA sequencing to see what genes are expressed in the motor neurons in skates. Skates, they found out, express many of the same type of motor neurons expressed by land mammals such as humans. Because neurons can't fossilize, this study published in Cell, will be paramount to how we understand limb development and, likely, bipedalism in humans.
If you want to see 'skate walking', follow the link to this video and watch between minute 1:07 and 1:22!
- Elizabeth (Liz) Tapanes
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