9 Animals From Prehistoric Times That Are Still Around Today
Mental Floss • • science
Key Points:
- Some animals have remained largely unchanged for hundreds of millions of years, surviving through mass extinctions and evolutionary shifts, unlike humans who have evolved significantly over 300,000 years.
- Sharks have existed for around 450 million years, evolving features like flexible jaws, with some ancient species like frilled sharks and goblin sharks still present today.
- Sea turtles first appeared 230 million years ago, with sea-adapted species emerging 145 million years ago, but they now face threats from pollution and climate change.
- Horseshoe crabs, more closely related to spiders than crabs, have existed for about 470 million years, making them one of the oldest surviving arthropods.
- Other ancient creatures include the
