The most ancient animals among those living on Earth

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These animals caught the era of dinosaurs, they witnessed the ice age and outlived many less fortunate brothers.

Today's selection includes the most ancient animals among those living on Earth. Surprisingly, for hundreds of thousands of years, the appearance of these inhabitants of our planet has not changed much.

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10. Platypus

Platypuses are mammals, although they have an undoubted resemblance to reptiles. The age of this animal species is about 110 million years. It is believed that the first platypuses appeared on the territory of modern South America, but then migrated to the area that eventually became Australia.

9. Ant

These insects are considered the oldest on the planet. In addition, scientists have long been intrigued by the amazing intelligence of ants and their complex social organization. Over millions of years of its history, the appearance of ants has not changed much.

8. Goldweb Spider

The oldest of the spiders appeared on the planet more than 165 million years ago. Goldweavers are known for their strong webs of an unusual golden hue. You can meet these ancient spiders in Tanzania, South Africa and Madagascar.

7. Echidna

Echidna is related to another ancient animal – the platypus. Echidnas and prochidnas live in Australia, New Guinea and Tasmania. Unfortunately, one of the three genera of the echidna family has already disappeared from the face of the Earth. And the worms are among the rarest and most unusual animals on the planet.

6. Shield

This freshwater crustacean of the branchiopod class appeared on Earth about 230 million ribbons ago. The size of the shield is from 3 to 10 cm. These creatures are still very little studied and therefore are of great interest to scientists.

5. Hatteria (tuatara)

Outwardly, this reptile resembles an iguana. The dimensions of the tuatara do not exceed 75 cm. The age of these ancient creatures is more than 220 million years. Tuataria are very few in number and live on several small islands in New Zealand.

4. Crocodile

These reptiles appeared on Earth about 250 million years ago. Crocodiles can be called the "cousins" of dinosaurs. Surprisingly, crocodiles have much in common with modern birds.

3. Latimeria

This lobe-finned fish is the only surviving species of the many that lived on Earth about 300-400 million years ago. The arrangement of the organs of the coelacanth is very different from modern fish, which makes it a truly unique creature.

2. Cockroach

These insects live on Earth much longer than you and I – about 320 million years. Modern science knows more than 4500 species of cockroaches. To survive in the most severe periods of earthly history, cockroaches were helped by an amazing ability to do without any food and water for a long time.

1. Neopilina

These cephalopods appeared in the Earth's oceans about 400 million years ago. A small but very hardy creature has a shell with a diameter of only 2 cm. It is curious that, unlike modern mollusks, neopilina can be distinguished from the right and left sides.