Man stands alone in the universe, a unique product of a long, unconscious, impersonal, material process with unique understanding and potentialities. These he owes to no one but himself, and it is to himself that he is responsible. He is not the creature of uncontrollable and undeterminable forces, but is his own master. He can and must decide and manage his own destiny.

Splitting and gradual divergence of genera is exemplified very well and in a large variety of organisms.

I don't know where to put whales. I'm sticking them here, but I don't have any reason for it.

Man is the result of a purposeless and natural process that did not have him in mind

If a sect does officially insist that its structure of belief demands that evolution be false, then no compromise is possible. An honest and competent biology teacher can only conclude that the sect's beliefs are wrong and that its religion is a false one.

Recognition of this kinship with the rest of the universe is necessary for understanding him, but his essential nature is defined by qualities found nowhere else, not by those he has in common with apes, fishes, trees, fire, or anything other than himself.

Almost all paleontologists recognize that the discovery of a complete transition is in any case unlikely.