Modern Animals with Direct Lineage to Prehistoric Ancestors

July17,2024

Descendants of ancient reptiles that lived during the Mesozoic Era, crocodiles have changed little in millions of years

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Crocodiles

Modern sharks, like the Great White, trace their lineage back to prehistoric times, with ancestors dating back over 400 million years.

Credit: Pixabay

Sharks

These marine arthropods have existed for over 450 million years, maintaining a body structure remarkably similar to their ancient predecessors.

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Horseshoe Crabs

Once thought extinct, the coelacanth is a deep-sea fish whose lineage dates back to the Devonian period, about 400 million years ago.

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Coelacanths

Native to New Zealand, the tuatara is a reptile that has existed for about 200 million years, representing an ancient lineage of lizard-like reptiles.

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Tuatara

These large fish have existed for over 200 million years, with little evolutionary change, making them direct descendants of prehistoric fish.

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Sturgeon

This marine mollusk, with its distinctively coiled shell, has ancestors dating back about 500 million years, making it a living fossil.

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Nautilus

Like crocodiles, alligators are descendants of ancient reptiles, sharing a common ancestry with dinosaurs and other Mesozoic reptiles.

Credit: Pixabay

Alligators