Living Fossils
A living fossil is a group of organisms that disappears from one or more periods of the fossil record, only to appear again later.
The connection belongs to Ecology connections.
Connected Sites
Alejandro de Humboldt National Park: rare large shrew-like insectivore Cuban solenodon Solenodon cubanus (EN), considered a living fossil (UNEP-WCMC)
Greater Blue Mountains: Wollemia
Huangshan: Gingko Biloba
Kinabalu Park: The mountain flora has diverse 'living fossils' such as the celery pine and the trig-oak, the evolutionary link between oaks and beeches. (AB ev)
Lagoons of New Caledonia: Nautilus
Mount Wuyi: Gingko Biloba
Namib Sand Sea: welwitschia
Ohrid Region: Lake Ohrid is so old and isolated by surrounding hills and mountains that a unique collection of plants and animals has evolved. These include a number of relict species, or “living fossils” (including Ohrid trout (Salmo letnica))
Shark Bay: Stromatolite
Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries: Gingko Biloba
Three parallel rivers of Yunnan: Gingko Biloba
Viñales Valley: Microcycas calocoma, cork palm, "a living fossil of the
Cretaceous phanerogamic flora" (AB ev)
iSimangaliso Wetland Park: Coelacanth
Suggestions?
Do you know of another WHS we could connect to Living Fossils?
A connection should:
- Not be "self evident"
- Link at least 3 different sites
- Not duplicate or merely subdivide the "Category" assignment already identified on this site.
- Add some knowledge or insight (whether significant or trivial!) about WHS for the users of this site
- Be explained, with reference to a source