Final answer:
Tiktaalik is a crucial fossil find as an intermediate form that evidences the evolutionary transition from fish to early tetrapods, showing both aquatic and terrestrial adaptations which played a pivotal role in our understanding of the evolution of vertebrates.
Step-by-step explanation:
Tiktaalik is an important fossil find because it represents a morphological intermediate form between sarcopterygian fishes and early tetrapods. This fossil, Tiktaalik roseae, provides evidence of evolutionary transition with its unique features like fins that could potentially bear weight and a neck suggesting head movement for feeding. Existing around 375 million years ago, Tiktaalik had both gills and lungs, eyes on the top of its head, and is considered a true intermediate clade between fish and amphibians, bridging a significant gap in our understanding of the evolution of life on Earth.
Tiktaalik is an important fossil find because it represents an intermediate form between finned fish and legged tetrapods, providing evidence for the transition from aquatic to terrestrial life. This fossil has characteristics of both fish and amphibians, indicating that it lived in a shallow water environment and likely had the ability to move on land. Tiktaalik is considered a true intermediate clade between fish and amphibians and helps scientists understand the evolution of tetrapods.