Study of 17,000 years of fish fossils reveals rapid evolution.

This article focuses on the rapid speciation of cichlid fishes in East Africa's Lake Victoria, where they evolved into 500 species within 17,000 years despite not being the first fish to colonize the lake. Fossil evidence shows that while cyprinoid fish initially dominated the shallow waters, cichlids uniquely exploited the deepening lake environment, leading to their swift adaptive radiation. Researchers attribute this success to cichlids' morphological versatility, including a second set of jaws and complex mating behaviors, rather than early arrival. Ongoing studies of fossilized teeth aim to clarify how dietary adaptations contributed to their rapid diversification.