Scientists Find Lamprey A 'Living Fossil': 360 Million-year-old Fish Hasn't Evolved Much

Science Daily.com ^ | October 26, 2006 | University of Chicago Medical Center

[Stultis]

So the eel hasn't changed in 360 million years

Although eels are superficially similar to lampreys, in fact they are an entirely different creatures. In fact, as ray-finned fishes, eels are no more closely related to a jawless fish like the lamprey than is any other jawed animal (including humans).

[muawiyah]

Still, the current versions look remarkably like the earliest versions ~ and the implications are astounding.

This is the PERFECT ANIMAL ~

[fish hawk]

In fact you are correct, however, everyone, I mean everyone that I know of in N. Calif. calls them eels, and always have. So take "eel" out of my statement and insert "lamprey" if it makes you feel better.

[DannyTN]

Correction: Bill Clinton would hit on it.

[DannyTN]

"Evolution needs to get its stories straight. Constantly revising is not an answer."

Creation Safari said it best....

"Evolution produces fast predators and prey, except when it produces slow ones. It leads to bigger individuals, except when it prefers smaller ones. It generates colorful birds and dull ones, birds that can fly faster and farther, and birds that lose flight altogether. It makes tasty fruit to attract animals and poisonous fruit to repel them. Males are explained to be both smart or dumb by evolutionary theory; females are choosy but really driven by their hormones. Altruism is really disguised selfishness, but selfishness leads to the overall good. Through evolution emerge showy patterns and camouflage, opacity and transparency, attraction and repulsion, loudness and quietness, high body mass and low density, change and stasis, group behavior and solitude, and opposite strategies for survival. Since evolutionary theory is jack of all trades, it is master of none. Some would not even honor such a slippery concept with the rank of jack. Joker, maybe. "

[Dimensio]

I am curious. Do you have an argument of substance to offer?

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Yowzers...no wonder they didn't change...who'd want to mess with something like that!

[onedoug]

What's so successful if it seems a dead end? Some evolution.

[Alter Kaker]

What's so successful if it seems a dead end? Some evolution.

Lampreys succesfully pass on their genes to future generations. That's the definition of an evolutionary success. The fact that they've had to evolve so little over so long is a sign of how succesfully they've been able to fit their niche.

[Ruddles]

Coelecanth still King of All Living Fossils in my book.

[DoctorMichael]

Well wow. If I had known that I wouldn't have made my comments. NOT!!!

Just trying to politely correct some misconceptions that seem to be rampant around here.

Hope this helps.

[onedoug]

Like I said: An evolutionary dead end.

[Ciexyz]

ping

[Ciexyz]

They specialized early and managed to survive. Impressive!

[Dimensio]

Like I said: An evolutionary dead end.

That is not an accurate assesment. An evolutionary "dead end" would be a papulation that is unable to reproduce in sustainable numbers within their environment. As lampreys are still extant, they are clearly not a 'dead end'.

[Alter Kaker]

An evolutionary dead end.

No, an evolutionary "dead end" is an extinction. There are 40 extant species of lampreys in 9 genera, common in temperate zones in most parts of the world.

[DoctorMichael]

.........The Zoology course I took in college college certainly didn't provide........

You were cheated!

I'd ask for my money back.

[SoldierDad]

Amazing that so many other "creatures" have failed to do the same. Oh, no, wait, there are other "creatures" which have shown little to no "evolution" over geologic periods of time.

[SoldierDad]

No, I was edumacated, unlike so many others on these threads. Plus, I'm able to use the intelligence God gave me to figure out what to pay attention to and what to discount.