The oldest living things on the planet

We present to you the oldest living organisms that exist on our planet to this day. These ancient organisms originated millions of years ago and continue to exist with us.

9 PHOTOS

1. Cyanobacteria

Fossils of 3.5 billion cyanobacteria have been found in Western Australia. Cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, is a type of bacteria capable of photosynthesis. This is believed to have played a role in shaping the Earth's atmosphere and made it habitable.

2. Sponges.

Sponges appeared 580 million years ago. Such ancient representatives have been found in Australia, China, and Mongolia.

3. Jellyfish.

Jellyfish appeared 505 million years ago and belong to the group of coelenterates. This group also includes corals, sea anemones, and other inhabitants of the seas.

4. Horseshoe crabs.

They appeared 450 million years ago. Horseshoe crabs are considered living fossils. These arthropods live in shallow ocean waters with soft sandy or muddy bottoms.

5. Coelacanth.

This rare fish appeared 400 million years ago. The last specimen was caught in 1998.

6. Ginkgo.

Originating 270 million years ago, Ginkgo is the only living specimen of the ginkgo plant. Geological cataclysms have almost completely erased this species from the face of the Earth.

7. Nautilus.

Another living fossil that originated 235 million years ago. Nautilus appeared at the end of the Triassic period. Nautilus are found in the western Pacific Ocean.

8. Sturgeons.

Sturgeons appeared 200 million years ago and also belong to a number of living fossils, although they have changed in the process of evolution.

9. Martialis Heureka.

This most primitive ant species originated 100 million years ago and has practically not changed during all this time. The species was discovered in the Amazon in 2000. Ants live underground.