CBSE Class 10 Answered

Palaeontology is the study of fossilised remains of plants and animals found in the sedimentary rocks.

The palaeontological evidences include

1) Gradual complexity in fossil record of geological timescale.

2) Fossilised connecting links

3) Pedigree of certain animals

i) The fossil records of geological timescale shows that fossils of only simple forms are found in lower or old strata while those of complex forms appear in upper or recent strata of the earth. This indicates that complex forms have been gradually evolved from preexisting simple ones.

ii) Fossils also reveal such forms like Neuropteris and Archaeopteryx, serving as connecting links. These connecting links clearly indicate the evolution of one organism from the other.

iii) The Palaeontologists have also been successful in tracing the complete ancestral record (Pedigree) of animals such as horse, elephant, camel etc.

The fossil records thus show many direct and documentary evidences. It presents visible records of evolutionary changes in the strata of earth where there is no room for speculation or doubt