Jawless
fishes
Sharks
Ray-finned fish
Lobe-finned fish
Echinodermata
Amphibians
Lizards and
snakes
Crocodiles
Birds
Dinosaurs
Turtles
Synapsida
First
amphibians
Mammalia
Part I
EVOLUTION AND THE FOSSIL RECORD
The modern geologic time scale (left) and a simplified “tree of life” showing the branching sequence of the
major groups of modern animals. Contrary to creationist “flood geology” misconceptions, most lineages
of primitive marine animals are not just found on the lower strata, but span all of geologic time, and have
modern representatives as well.