How would punctuated equilibrium show in the fossil record?

Punctuated equilibrium, a theory proposed by paleontologists Stephen Jay Gould and Niles Eldredge, suggests that species remain relatively stable for long periods, interrupted by brief episodes of rapid evolution during which new species emerge. In the fossil record, this would be evidenced by long intervals of little to no change in a species' morphology, followed by sudden appearances of new forms that correspond to speciation events. This pattern contrasts with the gradualism model, which predicts a slow and continuous evolution of species over time. Consequently, the fossil record would reflect these distinct periods of stasis and rapid change, often observed in the form of sudden appearances of new species in geological layers.