The origin of flight should provide an excellent test for choosing between the evolutionary and creationist models. Almost every structure in flightless animals would require modification for flight, and the resulting transitional forms should be easily detected in the fossil record. Flight is assumed to have evolved four times separately and independently – in insects, birds, mammals (bats), and reptiles (pterosaurs, now extinct). In any case, the origin of flight is assumed to have required many millions of years, which means that a multitude of transitional forms would be included in each case. In no case so far can anything be provided that would even remotely resemble an evolutionary sequence.
E.C. Olson, an evolutionist and geologist, in his book “The Evolution of Life”1, claims that: “When it comes to flight, there are some very large gaps in the record.” (p. 180) Regarding insects, Olson says: “There is almost nothing that would provide any information about the history of the origin of flight in insects.” (p. 180) As for flying reptiles, Olson reports that: “True flight was first recorded among reptiles in pterosaurs from the Jurassic period. Although the earliest of them were less specialized for flight than the later ones, there is absolutely no sign of transitional stages.” (p. 181) Regarding birds, Olson speaks about Archaeopteryx as “reptilian,” but says that by possessing feathers “it shows itself” as a bird. (p. 182) Finally, regarding mammals, Olson claims that “the first evidence of flight in mammals is found in fully developed mammals from the Eocene epoch.” (p. 182)
Thus, in every single case concerning the origin of flight, the fossil record cannot provide any sequence of transitional forms between the flying animal and its supposed flightless ancestor. In the case of flying insects (discussed earlier in this chapter), flying reptiles, and flying mammals, there is no hint of transitional forms.
Flying Reptiles
The differences between flying and non-flying reptiles were especially dramatic. For Saltoposuchus, a tecodont reptile, Romer believes that it produced flying reptiles, dinosaurs, and birds. The wide gap between this creature and representatives of the two suborders of pterosaurs is evident.
Almost every structure of Rhamphorhynchus, a long-tailed pterosaur, was unique to this creature. Especially obvious (as with all pterosaurs) was the enormous length of the fourth finger, compared to the length of the other three fingers. This fourth finger provided the main support for the wing membrane. It was obviously not a delicate structure, and if the pterosaur evolved from a tecodont or some other land-bound reptile, transitional forms should be found showing a gradual elongation of this fourth finger. However, not a hint of such a transitional form has been found.
Even more unique was the pterodactyl group of pterosaurs. Pteranodon not only had a large toothless beak and a long, backward-extended bony crest, but its fourth fingers extended the wingspan to a length of 52 feet. Where are the transitional forms that would document an evolutionary origin for these and other structures unique to pterosaurs? How could these strange creatures evolve through countless transitional forms over millions of years without leaving a single transitional form in the fossil record?
Let’s consider the evolutionary scenario. A genetic error causes an accidental change that somehow results in a slight increase in the length of both fourth fingers of a non-flying reptile (something resembling Saltoposuchus, for example). It is imagined that this small increase in the length of the fourth finger gives an advantage to that mutant over the original organism, although no one has yet been able to suggest what kind of advantage that might be. After many generations of struggle for survival, the “good” mutant with slightly longer fingers replaces the original organism. We now have a reptile with slightly longer fourth fingers.
After hundreds of thousands of years and many bad mutations, a second “good” mutation appears, in the same lineage of origin, which causes the fourth fingers to grow again. The “good” mutant again, after thousands of generations of struggle, replaces the original organism. After many such mutations and struggles, the fourth finger of our candidate is longer and longer. At the same time, with strange coincidences, other mutations (or genetic errors) create wing membranes, wing muscles, hollow bones, and all other changes in the bones, muscles, skin, nerves, etc., that are needed for a non-flying reptile to turn into a flying one.
It must also be imagined that every step in this transition is not only functional, but also superior in relation to the previous one. Thus, it must be assumed that the initial stage of wing formation has an advantage, even if that creature could not fly. These initial wings would be a clear disadvantage for a reptile that had to compete with other animals created for life on the ground. In the case of Pteranodon, the usual reptilian jaws and teeth had to evolve into a long toothless beak. What this animal ate and how it could chew during the transitional period is another mystery. Also, these animals could not walk at all or were very weak in their movement. What was their way of moving during the transition from land to air? The evolutionary scenario can thus only be described as absurd, and the fossil record, as expected, does not support any such scenario. All flying reptiles that have been discovered in the fossil record were complete, fully functional flying reptiles, just as predicted based on creation.
- Literature
- A. S. Romer, Vertebrate Paleontology, 3rd ed., U. of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1966, p. 303.