Lazarus taxon
Imagine you were playing with your toys and you suddenly found a toy that you thought was gone forever! This toy is like a Lazarus taxon.
A Lazarus taxon is a term used by scientists to describe a group of animals or plants that disappear from the earth's surface for a long time and are thought to have gone extinct. But then, later on, we find some member of that group alive and well. It's like finding your lost toy after thinking it was gone forever!
For example, the coelacanth is a type of fish that scientists thought disappeared 65 million years ago with the dinosaurs. But then, in 1938, a live coelacanth was caught in the Indian Ocean! It was like finding a toy that was lost for 65 million years!
This term is used by scientists to describe the cases when an extinct species surprisingly reappears and becomes known to us again. This rediscovery can help us learn more about the puzzle of life and evolution, just like finding your missing toy would help you learn more about taking care of your things.
A Lazarus taxon is a term used by scientists to describe a group of animals or plants that disappear from the earth's surface for a long time and are thought to have gone extinct. But then, later on, we find some member of that group alive and well. It's like finding your lost toy after thinking it was gone forever!
For example, the coelacanth is a type of fish that scientists thought disappeared 65 million years ago with the dinosaurs. But then, in 1938, a live coelacanth was caught in the Indian Ocean! It was like finding a toy that was lost for 65 million years!
This term is used by scientists to describe the cases when an extinct species surprisingly reappears and becomes known to us again. This rediscovery can help us learn more about the puzzle of life and evolution, just like finding your missing toy would help you learn more about taking care of your things.
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