Archive · 16 Sep 2025
8 'Living Fossils' That Survived Through Prehistoric Eras
Imagine Earth a long, long time ago, with creatures that looked different.
Some of these ancient animals are still around today!
These are like 'living fossils'.
The coelacanth, once thought extinct, was found again.
The nautilus has been in the ocean for nearly half a billion years.
The tuatara, a lizard-like creature, is from a lineage 250 million years old.
Others include the Komodo Dragon and the goblin shark.
Giant tortoises live for hundreds of years and the platypus is a unique mammal that lays eggs.
Crocodiles have remained the same for over 200 million years.
Several animals, called “living fossils,” have survived for millions of years.
The coelacanth was thought extinct until 1938.
Nautilus have been in the oceans for nearly 500 million years.
Tuataras have been around for over 250 million years.
The platypus has traits of both reptiles and early mammals.
- Who
- Coelacanth, Nautilus, Tuatara, Komodo Dragon, Goblin Shark, Aldabra Giant Tortoise, Platypus, and Crocodiles
- What
- Animals that have remained largely unchanged since prehistoric times.
- When
- Millions of years ago.
- Where
- Various locations around the world.
- Why
- To provide insight into prehistoric life and resilience.
- Coelacanth
- Rediscovered in 1938, thought extinct 66 million years ago
- Nautilus
- In world's oceans for nearly 500 million years
- Tuatara
- Reptilian lineage split 250 million years ago, native to New Zealand
- Komodo Dragon
- Ancestors dating back 3 million years
- Goblin Shark
- Lineage tracing back 125 million years
- Aldabra Giant Tortoise
- Roots dating back over 150 million years, some over 200 years old
- Platypus
- Lineage dating back over 200 million years
- Crocodiles
- Unchanged for over 200 million years