A member of an ancient group of fish (especially the coelacanth) with fleshy, lobed fins that had limb-like bones inside them.
From Greek 'crossos' (fringe) + 'pteryx' (wing/fin) + '-ian' (member of). The term was coined in the 1800s to describe these unique fish with their distinctive fringe-edged fins.
Crossopterygians were the ultimate evolutionary superheroes—their lobed fins contained bones similar to our own arms and legs, making them the direct ancestors of all creatures that walk on land!
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