Re: early tetrapod

[David Marjanovic <david.marjanovic@gmx.at>]

> what of the comment "I imagine this is an animal that could haul itself 
> over sand banks without any difficulty. Maybe it's poking around in 
> semi-tidal creeks picking up fish that got stranded."
>
> implying terrestrial motion? is it just sensationalism, or supported by 
> the fossil?

It's not supported, and not proposed in the paper. Although it does differ 
from those of *Panderichthys* and *Tiktaalik*, the shoulder girdle looks 
like that of *Acanthostega*.

The skull and the lower jaw are now almost completely known, and so is the 
shoulder girdle. An ilium has also been found (the bone previously 
considered an ilium is a cleithrum -- a part of the shoulder girdle...). An 
isolated fin ray may also belong; it suggests a very tall tail fin as 
recently recognized in *Acanthostega*. Looks like *Ventastega* was about as 
terrestrial as a catfish.

There is still no limb/fin material.