10 most ancient creatures that have survived to this day

All kids in childhood love books about dinosaurs and prehistoric animals. With rapture, they are waiting for their parents to take them to an exhibition of artificial prototypes that have come to life – after all, this is a chance to touch the history of our planet as it was millions of years ago. And not only children, but also adults dream of participating in archaeological and paleontological excavations.

It turns out that it’s not worth going far at all – a dream can become a reality. “Fossil” creatures, whose age is many millions of years, still live on our planet. If you get smart, you can easily observe them during one of your educational trips.

Did you know that even spotted poisonous fly agarics have been living on the planet for more than 100 million years? And crocodiles are, in fact, the same dinosaurs that are already 83 million years old.

Today we have prepared a review of the 10 most ancient inhabitants of our planet, which you can see (and sometimes touch) without much difficulty.

10 Ant Martialis heureka – 120 million years ago

The industrious ant began its earthly journey a long time ago and miraculously survived. Scientists have found in the resin and other rocks of the same proto-ant species Martialis heureka, which has existed for more than 120 million years.

Most of the time the insect spends underground, where it freely navigates thanks to the location system (it does not have an eye). In length, the ant does not exceed 2-3 mm, but, as we see, it has tremendous vitality and endurance. It was opened for the first time in 2008.

9. Frilled Shark – 150 million years ago

It is not for nothing that the representative of the species does not look like her modern relatives – something asymmetrically prehistoric remained in her appearance. The frilled shark lives at cold depths (one and a half kilometers under water), so it was not immediately discovered. Maybe that’s why she was able to exist for so long – as much as 150 million years. Outwardly, the shark looks more like a specific eel than a familiar shark.

8. Sturgeon – 200 million years ago

Both adults and children love to indulge in sturgeon and caviar. But few people traced the history of this species – it rests on the counter, so be it. Nevertheless, before being chosen by culinary specialists, the sturgeon cut through the water surface for more than 200 million years.

And now, as far as we remember, their catch has to be limited, otherwise the oldest representatives will slowly die out. If it were not for human economic activity, darkness would have bred sturgeons, because this fish is capable of living for a whole century.

7. Shield – 220 million years ago

A funny and at the same time repulsive creature – the oldest representative of freshwater areas. The shield is a three-eyed creature, in which the third naupliar eye is designed for discrimination and location in conditions of darkness and light.

The first shields appeared about 220-230 years ago, and now they are on the verge of extinction. During this time, they have changed little in appearance – only slightly decreased. The largest representatives reached a length of 11 cm, and the smallest did not exceed 2. An interesting fact is that cannibalism is characteristic of the species during the period of famine.

6. Lamprey – 360 million years ago

The specific and outwardly repulsive lamprey cuts through the expanses of water for no less than 360 million years. The writhing slippery fish, so reminiscent of an eel, menacingly opens its huge mouth, in which the entire mucous surface (including the pharynx, tongue and lips) is dotted with sharp teeth.

Lamprey appeared in the Paleozoic era and perfectly adapted to both fresh and salt water. Is a parasite.

5. Latimeria – 400 million years ago

The oldest fish is a real rarity in the random catch of fishermen. For many decades, this coeliant fish was considered extinct, but in 1938, to the delight of scientists, the first living specimen was found, and 60 years later, the second.

Modern fossil fish for 400 million years of existence has practically not changed. The cross-finned coelacanth has only 2 species that live off the coast of Africa and Indonesia. It is on the verge of extinction, so its catch is prosecuted by law.

4. Horseshoe crab – 445 million years ago

Did you know that the arthropod clumsy horseshoe crab is the real “old man” of the water world? It has been living on the planet for more than 440 million years, and this is even more than many ancient trees. At the same time, the surviving creature did not change its specific appearance.

The first horseshoe crab in the form of a fossil was found by Canadian archaeologists in the same notorious 2008. Interestingly, the body of the horseshoe crab contains copper in excess, due to which the blood acquires a bluish tint. It also reacts with bacteria, resulting in the formation of protective clots. This allowed pharmacists to use the creature’s blood as a drug developer reagent.

3. Nautilus – 500 million years ago

The cute little cuttlefish is on the brink of extinction, though it has bravely roamed the planet for half a billion years. The cephalopod has a beautiful shell, divided into chambers. A large chamber is inhabited by a creature, while others contain biogas that allows it to float like a float when diving to depth.

2. Medusa – 505 million years ago

Swimming in the sea, it is difficult not to notice the transparent slippery jellyfish, the burns of which are so afraid of vacationers. The first jellyfish appeared about 505-600 (according to various estimates) million years ago – then they were very complex organisms, thought out to the smallest detail. The largest captured representative of the species reached a diameter of 230 cm.

By the way, the jellyfish does not exist for long – only one year, because it is an important link in the food chain of marine life. Scientists are still wondering how jellyfish capture impulses from the organs of vision in the absence of a brain.

1. Sponge – 760 million years ago

The sponge, contrary to prevailing stereotypes, is an animal and, in combination, the most ancient creature on the planet. Until now, the exact time of the appearance of sponges has not been established, but the most ancient, according to the analysis, was as much as 760 million years old.

Such unique inhabitants still inhabit our planet, while we dream of restoring dinosaur or mammoth prototypes from genetic material. Maybe we should be more attentive to what surrounds us?