<P> The aquatic to terrestrial transition of vertebrate organisms occurred in the late Devonian era and was an important step in the evolutionary history of modern land vertebrates . The transition allowed animals to escape competitive pressure from the water and explore niche opportunities on land . Fossils from this period have allowed scientists to identify some of the species that existed during this transition , such as Tiktaalik and Acanthostega . Many of these species were also the first to develop adaptations suited to terrestrial over aquatic life , such as neck mobility and hindlimb locomotion . </P>
<P> The aquatic to terrestrial transition of vertebrate organisms occurred in the late Devonian era and was an important step in the evolutionary history of modern land vertebrates . The transition allowed animals to escape competitive pressure from the water and explore niche opportunities on land . Fossils from this period have allowed scientists to identify some of the species that existed during this transition , such as Tiktaalik and Acanthostega . Many of these species were also the first to develop adaptations suited to terrestrial over aquatic life , such as neck mobility and hindlimb locomotion . </P>
when did amphibians begin to colonize land as the first terrestrial vertebrates
when did amphibians begin to colonize land as the first terrestrial vertebrates
the late Devonian era
the late Devonian era