Fossil Horses, Orthogenesis, and Communicating Evolution in Museums

• DOI: 10.1007/s12052-012-0394-1
• Publication Date: 2012-03-23T15:29:46Z
• Authors: Bruce J. MacFadden; Luz Helena Oviedo; Grace M. Seymour; Shari Ellis
• Keywords: Equidae; Ancestor; Macroevolution; Branching (polymer chemistry); Fossil Record; Vertebrate paleontology; Family tree

The 55-million-year fossil record of horses (Family Equidae) has been frequently cited as a prime example long-term macroevolution. In the second half nineteenth century, natural history museum exhibits characteristically depicted to be single, straight-line (orthogenetic) progression from ancestor descendent. By beginning twentieth however, paleontologists realized that, rather than representing orthogenesis, evolutionary pattern was more correctly characterized by complexly branching phylogenetic tree. We conducted systematic survey 20 horse museums in United States. Our resulting data indicate that (55%) today still depict evolution orthogenetic, despite fact have known for century actual Family Equidae is branching. Depicting outmoded patterns and concepts via exhibits, such fossils exemplifying not only communicates knowledge but also likely contributes general misconceptions about visitors.