Scientists flip out over 'missing link' in seal fossil record

Scientists say they've found a "missing link" in the early evolution of seals and walruses - the skeleton of a web-footed, otter-like creature that was evolving away from a life on land.

Those feet and other anatomical features show an early step on the way to developing flippers and other adaptations for a life in the sea, the scientists said.

One expert called it "a fantastic discovery" that fills a crucial gap in the fossil record.

The 23 million-year-old creature was not a direct ancestor of today's seals, sea lions and walruses, a group known collectively as pinnipeds.

It's from a different branch, said researcher Natalia Rybczynski.

The fossil was found on Devon Island in the Canadian Arctic.