THOUGH dinosaur , along with many other prehistoric creatures, extinct millions of years ago, there are several ancient creatures contemporaries of dinosaurs that are still alive today. Some have undergone minor changes, but not to the point of being completely different from their original form.
Here 10 ancient animal who are still alive quoted by SINDOnews from the worldatlas page;!
1. Giant Freshwater Stingray
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The giant freshwater stingray is considered one of the largest freshwater fish in the world and can grow to 6.2 feet (1.9 meters). Not only that, it can also weigh up to 1,300 pounds (589.6 Kg), despite its thin appearance. It is believed that this species evolved about 100 million years ago, but is now facing extinction. (Read also; Researchers Find Longevity Secret in Rockfish DNA )
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According to fossil records, creatures known to inhabit coral reefs around the Indian Ocean, have lived on Earth for about 500 million years. The species of nautilus that is considered the oldest is known as the crusty nautilus. They were considered extinct for nearly 30 years until reappearing in 2015. The species survived several mass extinctions and major changes on planet Earth.
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The platypus, also known as the duck-billed platypus, is an egg-laying mammal. The platypus is considered by many to be one of the strangest animals alive today. The origin is from prehistoric times, because the oldest fossils of modern platypus are 100,000 years old. (Read also; This is the secret of the Galapagos Giant Tortoise Can Live Long and Cancer Free )
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Elephant rats can be found throughout southern Africa. They are small mammals that look similar to opossums, but are actually closely related to elephants. It sounds absurd, but it’s an amazing fact. By examining the fossil record, the ancestors of the elephant mouse lived in the Paleogene period, starting 66 million years ago. (Read also; Baby Elephant in Aceh Dies After Losing Half of its Trunk )
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This may come as a surprise, but the pelican lineage has been around for approximately 30 million years. These waterbirds are also considered living fossils and they have not changed much since prehistoric times. The oldest pelican fossils found are very similar to today’s pelicans, with identical beaks. (Also read; This is the Secret Why Ducks Swim Behind Their Mothers)
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The Alligator Gar can be found in North America and is considered one of the largest freshwater fish ever to exist. The alligator gar is a stingray-finned euryhaline fish also known as a “primitive fish” or “living fossil”. This fish species retains most of the morphological characteristics of its ancestors, including the ability to breathe air and water. By tracing the fossil record, the origin of the Alligator Gar Fish goes back more than 100 million years. (Read also; How Sharks Reproduce, Divided into Three Different Processes )
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Solenodon is a venomous mammal that can be found in several Caribbean countries. These nocturnal burrowing species are endangered and are often called “living fossils”. Solenodon has lived on this planet almost unchanged for 76 million years. Solenodon retains most of the primitive mammalian features that its ancestors had from prehistoric times. (Read also; Scientists Find Fossils Of The First Dinosaur In Greenland That Lived 214 Million Years Ago ) – .
The giant freshwater stingray is considered one of the largest freshwater fish in the world and can grow to 6.2 feet (1.9 meters). Not only that, it can also weigh up to 1,300 pounds (589.6 Kg), despite its thin appearance. It is believed that this species evolved about 100 million years ago, but is now facing extinction. (Read also; Researchers Find Longevity Secret in Rockfish DNA )
2. Nautilus
–According to fossil records, creatures known to inhabit coral reefs around the Indian Ocean, have lived on Earth for about 500 million years. The species of nautilus that is considered the oldest is known as the crusty nautilus. They were considered extinct for nearly 30 years until reappearing in 2015. The species survived several mass extinctions and major changes on planet Earth.
3. Platypus
–The platypus, also known as the duck-billed platypus, is an egg-laying mammal. The platypus is considered by many to be one of the strangest animals alive today. The origin is from prehistoric times, because the oldest fossils of modern platypus are 100,000 years old. (Read also; This is the secret of the Galapagos Giant Tortoise Can Live Long and Cancer Free )
4. Elephant Rat
–Elephant rats can be found throughout southern Africa. They are small mammals that look similar to opossums, but are actually closely related to elephants. It sounds absurd, but it’s an amazing fact. By examining the fossil record, the ancestors of the elephant mouse lived in the Paleogene period, starting 66 million years ago. (Read also; Baby Elephant in Aceh Dies After Losing Half of its Trunk )
5. Pelikan
–This may come as a surprise, but the pelican lineage has been around for approximately 30 million years. These waterbirds are also considered living fossils and they have not changed much since prehistoric times. The oldest pelican fossils found are very similar to today’s pelicans, with identical beaks. (Also read; This is the Secret Why Ducks Swim Behind Their Mothers)
6. Alligator Gar
–The Alligator Gar can be found in North America and is considered one of the largest freshwater fish ever to exist. The alligator gar is a stingray-finned euryhaline fish also known as a “primitive fish” or “living fossil”. This fish species retains most of the morphological characteristics of its ancestors, including the ability to breathe air and water. By tracing the fossil record, the origin of the Alligator Gar Fish goes back more than 100 million years. (Read also; How Sharks Reproduce, Divided into Three Different Processes )
7. Solenodon
–Solenodon is a venomous mammal that can be found in several Caribbean countries. These nocturnal burrowing species are endangered and are often called “living fossils”. Solenodon has lived on this planet almost unchanged for 76 million years. Solenodon retains most of the primitive mammalian features that its ancestors had from prehistoric times. (Read also; Scientists Find Fossils Of The First Dinosaur In Greenland That Lived 214 Million Years Ago ) – .
