Ancient Animals

Although many ancient species have become extinct, some animals have survived the tests of time, including mass extinctions, climate change and geographic shifts.

Here are 7 animals that look so ‘prehistoric’ and are still alive today.

1. Earless Monitor

Earless monitor lizards are one of the rarest reptile species in the world. Found only in the forests of Borneo, this unique lizard has an ancient appearance and no ears on the outside. The evolutionary origin puts it as a “living fossil”, as it is the only living member of the newt family Lanthanotidae (an order related to study lizards, such as the Komodo dragon).

The newt’s slender, earless body, smaller limbs, and lack of external ears indicate its adaptation to a semi-aquatic lifestyle, perhaps a primitive design that lasted for centuries.

2. Tapir

Tapirs are fascinating mammals with an evolutionary history stretching back around 50 million years. They belong to the mammalian order Perissodactyla, which also includes horses and rhinoceroses. There are only four species of tapir left today.

Dating back to the Eocene, tapirs have not changed much in basic form since then. This semi-solitary herbivore can be identified by its front proboscis, which it uses to feed and manipulate foliage.

3. Andrias Salamander

Andrias salamanders, commonly known as giant salamanders, are part of a lineage known as cryptobranchids that stretches back more than 150 million years, making them one of the oldest surviving amphibian groups. – today. They are also the largest amphibians.

The Andrias salamander has retained many primitive features ​​that have not changed much over millions of years. Native to East Asia, this impressive amphibian can grow up to 1.8 meters (almost 6 feet), and its large, powerful body and aquatic lifestyle are reminiscent of ancient amphibians.

4. Hoazin

The hoatzin is a remarkable bird whose evolutionary roots can be traced back some 64 million years to the beginning of the Cenozoic era. Native to the Amazon rainforest, this bird is known for its distinctive features, such as a pointed head crest, a strange digestive system that ferments plants, and chicks with claws on their wings – a characteristic that reminds on their early ancestors.

The hoazin’s relatively unchanged appearance and unique adaptations highlight its long evolutionary history, providing insight into a bird’s time that has survived millions of years of environmental change.

5. Solenodon

Solenodons are mammals with a lineage that dates back around 60 million years. Only two species remain today. This small insectivorous mammal is native to the Caribbean islands of Cuba and Hispaniola, where it is extremely rare. Its long, flexible snout, poisonous saliva, and unique reproductive characteristics indicate an evolutionary history that began shortly after the extinction of the dinosaurs.

6. Tuatara

The Tuatara is a remarkable reptile whose lineage stretches back some 230 million years to the Triassic period, making it one of the oldest living reptile lineages. Native to New Zealand, this lizard-like creature is the only living member of an entire order of reptiles, known as the rhynchocephalians.

Their long presence and largely unchanged morphology provide a rare glimpse into the life history of ancient reptiles, showing how some species have retained their basic characteristics through thousands of years of geological and ecological transformation. -ological.

7. Tailless Whip Shield

Tailless whip scorpions are arachnids whose lineage goes back more than 400 million years, making them one of the oldest and longest-lived land arthropod groups.

These amazing creatures, often found in tropical and subtropical areas, are known for their unique appearance and primitive features. Unlike their more famous relatives, whip-tailed scorpions do not have a venomous stinger, instead relying on their long, spiky pedipalps to capture prey.

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