What is the significance of transitional fossils?

Transitional fossils hold great significance in understanding the evolutionary process because they exhibit traits that are intermediate between ancestral and descendant groups. This feature allows scientists to track the gradual changes that lead from one species to another over time. By demonstrating a blend of characteristics from both older and more recent forms, transitional fossils provide compelling evidence of evolutionary relationships and help to illustrate how specific adaptations have developed.

For instance, a famous example of a transitional fossil is Archaeopteryx, which possesses both dinosaur-like features and characteristics typical of modern birds. This underscores the evolutionary link between reptiles and birds, illustrating the gradual transition between these two groups.

The other options do not accurately capture the importance of transitional fossils. Some may suggest that these fossils only display traits of descendants, overlooking their critical role in bridging gaps between varying evolutionary stages. Others might imply that these fossils indicate sudden changes in species, which contradicts the gradual nature of evolution that transitional fossils exhibit. Lastly, the idea that transitional fossils are merely the first found in sediment fails to recognize their specific role in documenting evolutionary changes.