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Fish Fingers: Your Digits Used To Be Fins
An ancient fish sported something like fingers that were the precursors to our own digits, according to an analysis of a new fossil skeleton.
"It's really the last piece of evidence to say fingers are not new. They were really present in fish," said lead researcher Catherine Boisvert, an evolutionary biologist at Uppsala University in Sweden.
The fossilized skeleton belonged to Panderichthys, a predatory fish that spanned up to 4 feet (130 cm) and likely dwelled in shallow waters where it inched along the muddy bottom about 385 million years ago.
While the fossil was discovered in the 1990s by chance in a brick quarry in Latvia in northern Europe, scientists only recently analyzed the fins with computed tomography (CT) and found that the right paddle is tipped with four bony extensions.
If you were to turn back the clocks to the Devonian period when Panderichthys lived and spied the fish, you would not have noticed its "fingers," Boisvert explained.
That's because the bony digit precursors were tucked beneath the fin's skin and bony scales and rays. The fan-like array of fingers, however, would have made Panderichthys' paddles broader at the ends. The broad fins would have made for stronger supports for the fish to lean on rather than for all-out swimming.
"It was probably using its front fins as supports to be able to look up, kind of doing push-ups at the bottom of the river looking outside with its eyes," Boisvert said, adding that the fish's eyes were on the top of its skull and thus probably good for looking above the mud for fish food.
Though Panderichthys was not made for landlubbing, if the need to hop from the water arose, the fish had the means.
"So if it was stuck in a pool and it was drying out, [the fish] would have been able to get itself out to the next water body," Boisvert told LiveScience. "It's doing push-ups on land with its big fins and then its pelvic fins (hind fins) are used for an anchor in the mud."
Basically, Panderichthys would have dragged its body along land. "It wouldn't have been pretty," she added.
The fossil finding, detailed in the Sept. 21 issue of the journal Nature, fills in a gap in the evolution of tetrapods, or four-legged animals. About 380 million years ago, our fishy ancestors crept onto land. Fossil evidence has continued to refine scientists' understanding of this transition, though they still have many questions regarding the fin-to-limb transition and development of other locomotion features.
For instance, one such transitional fish called Tiktaalik roseae lived about 375 million years ago and showed signs of both water living and land trekking. However, Boisvert said, even though Tiktaalik is closer evolutionarily to tetrapods, its specimens lack the distinct finger precursors seen on Panderichthys.
Nation Divided On Correct Fish Finger Portion - But Birds Eye Sets The Record Straight
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A mum sparked an online debate about how many fish fingers made a portion for an adult and the nation couldn't agree - but Birds Eye have set the record straight
Birds Eye have waded in to settle the debate (Stock Image)(PA)
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Danielle Kate WroeFish fingers are a meal-time favourite for many Brits - they're cheap, they're cheerful and they count towards one of the portions of fish you should be eating per week.
But what makes a portion of fish fingers for adults? It seems that the nation is torn. A woman took to Mumsnet to ask what a good portion for adults is, stating that she thought four was enough. Pondering over the question, she said: "This is causing WW3 in my house currently."
Answers ranged from two to 10 fish fingers per mealtime - but Birds Eye has set the record straight so we need to wonder no more.
'I hated my baby's name so much that I shuddered when saying it - it had to be changed'
The mum sparked a debate about how many fish fingers is a portion (Stock Image)(Getty Images/iStockphoto)
The mum also specified that the fish fingers were being served 'with chips and beans'.
One fish finger fan commented: "I would have said two was enough!", but not everybody agreed with some mocking the Mumsnetter for suggesting such a small portion.
Another responded by saying they'd 'laugh' if they were given two fish fingers.
Someone else said: "Six to eight in our house, teenagers and adults. With peas or baked beans (and sometimes mash). Or four in a sandwich (with cucumber and brown sauce).
"We're all a healthy weight but three or four wouldn't touch the sides!"
Birds Eye have waded in to officially settle the debate, however, sharing what the recommended adult portion size is.
They said: "The recommended adult-size portion for standard Fish Fingers is four fingers. For those wanting to opt for something a bit more hearty, Birds Eye recommends two Chunky Fish Fingers for an adult-size portion.
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"Remember, it's recommended that a healthy, balanced diet should include at least two portions of fish a week, including one of oily fish."
They also stress that children's nutritional needs differ from those of adults, so smaller portion sizes might be more appropriate.
How many fish fingers would you eat per meal? Let us know in the comments.
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We Tested Supermarket Fish Fingers – The Delicious Winner Costs Just £1.69 And Is Packed With Brain-boosting Omega 3
GET those fish fingers down you, kids – they will make you, er, kinder.
Carrots help you see in the dark and spinach puts muscle on you, children are told, and now the breaded teatime treat is being touted as having secret powers.
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Nadia Cohen tries supermarket offerings and gives ratings for eachCredit: Chris Eades9
Fish fingers are linked to more considerate as well as sociable behaviour in primary school pupilsCredit: GettyScientists at the University of Bristol found tucking into fish fingers is linked to more considerate as well as sociable behaviour in primary school pupils.
They reckon this is because white fish is rich in brain-boosting Omega 3 fatty acids, selenium, vitamin D and iodine.
So, that's another good reason to have a box or two stashed in the freezer for when time is short.
Nadia Cohen tries supermarket offerings and gives marks for taste, value and a total score out of ten…
Aldi: 15 Fishmonger Omega 3 Fish Fingers450g, £1.69, 11p eachOmega 3: 0.211g/100g
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This box from Aldi is the smartest choice by a long way when it comes to boosting kids' healthCredit: Chris EadesPACKED with the highest amount of Omega 3 of all the options on store shelves, this is the smartest choice by a long way when it comes to boosting kids' health.
An added bonus is that they have a really nice, light, golden coating which stops them tasting too processed.
The white fish has a good, firm consistency and each finger was a decent size.
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WHSmith shutting beloved branch TODAY as brand to disappear off high streetBest of all, since none of the batter fell off the sides, they managed to retain their crispiness even when dunked in a hefty dollop of tomato ketchup.
A clear winner.
Make these fish fingers for the whole family for under a fiverTaste: 5, Value: 5 Total: 10
Tesco: 10 Omega 3 Fish Fingers300g, £1.13, 11p eachOmega 3: 0.187g/100g
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These fish fingers from Tesco have a crumbly coating with an almost grainy textureVERY pale to look at, and somewhat flabby in consistency, these failed to hold their shape properly during cooking.
The coating was far too crumbly, almost grainy in texture, which was not particularly pleasant to eat.
But it is worth noting that these are very high in Omega 3 brain food, which makes them a reassuring choice when it comes to feeding a horde of hungry kids – especially if they are hefty teenagers who can put away four or five fishy treats in a single sitting.
Taste: 1, Value: 3 Total: 4
Lidl: 15 Ocean Sea Omega 3 Fish Fingers300g, £1.65, 11p eachOmega 3: 0.04g/100g
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Lidl's fish fingers are good value but contain hardly any Omega 3Credit: Chris EadesREALLY good value for money, but since they contain hardly any Omega 3, they could be a false economy if you are looking to fuel more than just the children's tummies.
At first glance, the coating is a worryingly bright shade of orange, and the breadcrumbs had already started to fall away messily inside the box before cooking.
They took quite a while to crisp up but once ready the fish was flaky and quite tasty.
Worth keeping in reserve in the back of the freezer.
Taste: 4, Value: 4 Total: 8
Asda: 10 Omega 3 Fish Fingers300g, £1.30, 13p eachOmega 3: 0.2g/100g
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These fish fingers from Asda are thinner than some of the other supermarket offeringsCredit: Chris EadesA NO-FRILLS option, these are thinner than some of the other supermarket offerings, the batter fell away far too quickly during cooking and they are made with pollock, not cod.
Each serving includes only a teeny- tiny scraping of Omega 3 which means these are not doing the kids' brains much good at all – they would get more nutrition from a tin of baked beans.
A bit bland and disappointing.
Taste: 3, Value: 3 Total: 6
Young's: 8 Extra Crispy Batter Fish Fingers240g, £2.75, 34p eachOmega 3: 0.139g/100g
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These fab fingers are pricier than the supermarket own brands but high in Omega 3YOUNG'S has long been Birds Eye's fiercest competitor in the fish market, and it's easy to see why.
These fab fingers are pricier than the supermarket own brands but high in Omega 3, and give old Captain Birdseye a run for his money.
They are nice and chunky so you would not need too many on each plate, and they are coated in a delicious crispy batter packing a serious crunch that could almost pass for restaurant quality.
Kids will go crazy for these, and they are worth forking out a bit extra for if you don't have too many mouths to feed.
Taste: 5, Value: 2 Total: 7
Sainsbury's: 10 Breaded Cod Fillet Fish Fingers300g, £1.65, 16.5p eachOmega 3: 0.126g/100g
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This offering from Sainsbury's has an average amount of Omega 3 and a fairly average tasteA DECENT mid- price option which has an average amount of Omega 3, and a fairly average taste too.
The fish seemed softer than the others, while the breadcrumb coating started to spit and split pretty quickly when placed under the grill.
A couple of the fish fingers fell apart when I tried to transfer them on to the plate.
They would not hold their shape in a sandwich or a wrap, so they get a thumbs-down for this.
Taste: 2 Value: 3 Total: 5
Birds Eye: 32 Omega 3 Fish Fingers896g, £5, 16p eachOmega 3: 0.116g/100g
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This box has a rather unappetising price tag, and the fish fingers are quite thin and burst quicklyCredit: Chris EadesHEARTY seafarer Captain Birds Eye has made these the most popular option in the freezer cabinet, and most shoppers reach for the brand leader without even thinking.
But his fish fingers are also way up there when it comes to cost.
Despite their rather unappetising price tag, they are also quite thin and burst quickly under the grill.
When it came to serving, they shrivelled slightly, too, which was disappointing. Not quite worthy of the captain's table, for my money.
Taste: 4, Value: 3 Total: 7
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