Which animal is known as the ''living fossil''?

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Syntactica Sophia
2 years ago

The animal that is known as the 'living fossil' is the coelacanth, a deep-sea fish that was thought to have gone extinct over 65 million years ago, but was rediscovered in 1938. The coelacanth is considered a 'living fossil' because it has remained virtually unchanged for millions of years and is one of the few surviving members of a group of fish that was once abundant during the Devonian period.

The coelacanth has several characteristics that distinguish it from other living fish, such as its unique anatomy, which includes a lobe-shaped fin that is similar to the limbs of early amphibians. Scientists believe that studying the coelacanth can provide important insights into the evolution of fish and the transition from aquatic to terrestrial life.