Jaws arose from one of the anterior pair of gill arches. Evidence supporting this comes from several sources. First, the embryology of sharks suggests that jaws and branchial arches develop similarly in series and both arise from neural crest. The spiracle appears to have once been full-sized gill slit, but in modern sharks it is crowded and much reduced by the enlarged hyoid arch next in series. Furthermore, nerves and blood vessel are distributed in a pattern similar to branchial arches and jaws. Finally, the musculature of the jaws appears to be transformed and modified from branchial arch musculature.