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Transitional fossil
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==Punctuated equilibrium== {{main|Punctuated equilibrium}} The theory of punctuated equilibrium developed by [[Stephen Jay Gould]] and [[Niles Eldredge]] and first presented in 1972<ref>{{harvnb|Eldredge|Gould|1972|pp=82–115}}</ref> is often mistakenly drawn into the discussion of transitional fossils.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Bates |first=Gary |date=December 2006 |title=That quote!—about the missing transitional fossils |url=http://creation.com/that-quote-about-the-missing-transitional-fossils |journal=Creation |volume=29 |issue=1 |pages=12–15 |issn=0819-1530 |access-date=2014-07-06}} *{{cite web |url=http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/patterson.html |title=Patterson Misquoted: A Tale of Two 'Cites' |last=Theunissen |first=Lionel |date=24 June 1997 |website=[[TalkOrigins Archive]] |publisher=The TalkOrigins Foundation, Inc. |location=Houston, TX |access-date=2015-05-19}}</ref> This theory, however, pertains only to well-documented transitions within taxa or between closely related taxa over a geologically short period of time. These transitions, usually traceable in the same geological outcrop, often show small jumps in morphology between extended periods of morphological stability. To explain these jumps, Gould and Eldredge envisaged comparatively long periods of genetic stability separated by periods of rapid evolution. Gould made the following observation concerning creationist misuse of his work to deny the existence of transitional fossils: {{blockquote|Since we proposed punctuated equilibria to explain trends, it is infuriating to be quoted again and again by [[Creationism|creationists]]—whether through design or stupidity, I do not know—as admitting that the fossil record includes no transitional forms. The punctuations occur at the level of species; directional trends (on the staircase model) are rife at the higher level of transitions within major groups. | [[Stephen Jay Gould]] |''[[The Panda's Thumb (book)|The Panda's Thumb]]''{{sfn|Gould|1980|p=189}}}}
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