Ever wondered what the oldest creatures on earth are or maybe did a search on prehistoric animals? If you have an interest in extinct ancient animals and some of the oldest living animals, then we have an awesome list for you. We've rounded up some of the longest, living animals and some ancient animals that will leave you shocked. Keep reading to see what are some of the most oldest living animal on earth.
12. Goblin Shark - 118 million years old
10. Frilled Shark - 150 million years old
Frilled sharks are the oldest species of shark still in existence. Given their age, they are less evolved than more "modern" sharks, and therefore their simple bodies appear like some combination of a shark and an eel. Like goblin sharks, frilled sharks live at the bottom of the ocean and so, despite being caught occasionally by accident, they're rarely encountered by humans. On the other hand, now that you see what a frilled shark looks like, we can't promise you won't be seeing them in your nightmares. (Sharkfacts)
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Image via Awashima Marine Park/Getty Images
9. Tadpole Shrimp - 220 million years old
Although tadpole shrimp have been on Earth for more than 200 million years, they are classified as an endangered species. Will they end their long run of existence before today's generations of humans? Maybe not. In 2010, scientists discovered a unique trait that gives these animals a shot at continued survival. It seems their eggs can lie dry and dormant for extremely long periods and still create new life when rehydrated. Said Dr. Larry Griffin from the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, "Now that we know how this curious creature survives, we have realised that there's a good chance there are more populations out there." Here's to 220 million more years. (The Telegraph U.K.)
Image via NalesnikLD/Wikimedia
8. Sturgeon - 200 million years old
"Sturgeon" is actually an umbrella term for several species that have existed for around 200 million years. But despite being so ancient, almost every species of sturgeon is now critically endangered due to that most deadly of predators: us. Sturgeon are harvested for their roe, which are prized for their use in making caviar. But sturgeon grow and mature slowly (they can live for 100 years), so over-harvesting, pollution and habitat destruction all combine to threaten their continued existence. The good news is that sturgeon are able to produce millions of eggs. The bad news is that we keep eating those eggs. (International Union for Conservation of Nature)
7. Horseshoe Shrimp - 200 million years old
The oldest shrimp on Earth, these ancient creatures took the messages in their yearbooks seriously: They haven't changed. In some 200 million years on the planet, evolution hasn't altered the horseshoe shrimp a bit. We know this because we have horseshoe-shrimp fossils from that long ago, and they show an animal that is exactly the same as the ones that are still swimming around today. (Triops Guys)
Image via Visuals Unlimited, Inc./Fabio Pupin
6. Lamprey - 360 million years old
Lampreys are creepy, eel-like parasites with circular mouth holes filled with dozens and dozens of small, sharp teeth that they use to latch onto fish hosts and suck their blood. Disturbing, right? Well, if you're hoping to get in a time machine and escape to a time when lampreys didn't exist, you'd have to go all the way back to the Palaeozoic era. In 2006, scientists studied a 360-million-year-old lamprey fossil, only to discover that it was essentially the same as the lampreys we have today. "They're very ancient, very primitive animals," said Dr. Michael Coates of the University of Chicago. (University of Chicago)
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5. Coelacanth - 360 million years old
Coelacanths used to be extinct … but then they weren't! Well, not really. But we thought they'd been extinct for millions of years until we found one in 1938. Since then, scientists have studied the very rare, endangered fish with great interest because they are so similar to the ancient fish that eventually evolved to crawl out of the water and become the first land vertebrate. In fact, just last week, a team of scientists reported the genome sequence of the coelacanth for the first time. Understanding the coelacanth's genetic blueprint can help us understand how they evolved into, well, just about everything. (Los Angeles Times)
Image via Hoberman Collection/UIG via Getty Images
