The Sea Creatures That Outlived The Dinosaurs
This article explores the evolutionary history of ancient sea creatures like horseshoe crabs and sharks that have survived multiple mass extinctions. It clarifies that while these animals are often called 'living fossils,' they have continued to evolve over millions of years.
Why it matters
Understanding the survival mechanisms of these species provides insight into evolutionary biology and the resilience of life on Earth.
The Sea Creatures That Outlived The Dinosaurs Each spring, armored horseshoe crabs crawl onto beaches along the US Atlantic Coast. Farther offshore, sharks patrol coastal waters while sea turtles return to their nesting grounds along the Southeast shore. Their ancestors occupied Earth's oceans before the asteroid strike ended the age of dinosaurs 66 million years ago. These animals are sometimes called living fossils, but that term can be misleading. No modern species has remained completely unchanged for hundreds of millions of years. Evolution continued as older species disappeared and new ones emerged. What survived were major branches of the animal family tree, sometimes retaining features visible in ancient fossils.
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