Can I get a summary of this reading please BOX ESSAY 1.3 BOX FIGURE1 Taken liter

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Can I get a summary of this reading please BOX ESSAY 1.3 BOX FIGURE1 Taken literally, a "living fossil" is a contra diction in terms because of course,fossil are dead. But occasionally a species sur- vives up to the present having changed Museum inception of its lineage. In these living fos sils, evolution is arrested. Because they of to J. L. B. Smith for his in in their bodies ancient character istics and because they are living they carry forward the physiology and be missing in preserved fossils. All living animals, not just a privileged few retain at least a smattering of characteristics that are throwbacks to an earlier time in retrieved and opened to spill onto the deck taxidermist who was their evolution. The duckbill platypus, a a ton and a half of edible fish. two tons of even the parts not needed for the job. But furry mammal of Australia still lays eggs. a holdover from its reptilian ancestors. old salts had ever seen such a fish and they return word from the nearest fish expert Even humans retain ancient features. We had little ides about what it was except to whom Courtenay-Latimer have hair, for example, that comes down recognize its uniqueness. As was the cus from the most ancient of mammals. I sup tom, the crew saved the fish for the curator she told the chairman of the onto the deck taxidermist who was instructed to save the taxidermist discarded the soft parts. When board of trustees what she suspected, he we could even count our backbone of the tiny museum in East London. Africa However, what most scientists mean Africa, a British heritage inspired local swans: Apparently, he entertained the idea their port city. (Although this was in South scoffed suggesting that "all her geese were is an unspecialized spe names, hence East London for this museum of thorized the stuffing and mounting of the fish. cies, alive today. that is built from the same ancient features that first appeared in the early days of the lineage. In terms of headLatimer (box figure 1 and bedy shape, crocodiles have beenwas thin, to say labeled as living fossils, as have sturgeons and Amia the bowfin. Along the coasts of sized exhibits representing local sea life remote area of South Africa and it w New Zealand persists a lizardlike reptile Sphenodon Four-legged looks like a squat but otherwise average lizard. Under the skin, however, the skeletal system especially the skull, is quite ancient. and Courtenay Latimer was called to comea The museum's the least. so to build local enthusiasm and support, she had empha est fish expert took 11 days to reach him because East London was still a She encouraged crews of fishing trawlers the holiday season. The expert whom she and scaled. it to watch for unusual specimens. If any were contacted was J L B. Smith an instructor caught they were included in the pile of in chemistry by profession an ichthyolo description and rough sketch of the fish, were inedible rubbish fish at the end of the day mens she could use. On this which was enough to tel the surviving sarcopterygian, Latimeria a coelacanth. This fish is a distant relative of she spotted the heawy-scaled, blue coel As anxio the group giving rise to the first tetrapods. particular day while sorting through fish could be the scientific find of the decade acanth with fins like arms. It was 16 m in t had snapped at the fishermen, but it was the fish, however, he could timeria was thought to length and weighed 60 kg When caught, make the 560-km (350 mile) journey to East London. He had examinations to administer have been extinct for millions of years Latimeriaretainsmanyancient sarcoptery now dead and beginning to decompose and score. Eventually, gian creations well developed notochord in the hot sun. By training Courtenay hopes were realized when he unique snout fleshy appendages divided tail Latimer was not an icht nor was visit the museum and peered on the fish for ts discovery excited great interest because she blessed with a staff of experts. Besidesthe first time It s from Mesozoic fossils known to science only the last members of this line had apparently curator, she was also treasurer and secre- whatand the place (Chalumna River, Smith Since then, other Latimeria have been Chalumna River. He taxi driver to deliver her. her assistant, and discovered off the coast of eastern Africa when he lowered his trawling Thin budgets again plagued her as there living at depths of 40 to 80 fathoms. Thanks expired 75 million years ago In 1938 Goosen,tary of the museum Although she did not In honor of the a commercial fishing captain working the recognize the coelacanth for exacty marine waters off the southern tip of Africa, it was, she was keen enough to realize thatnamed it Latimeria chalumnae decided. on an impulse to fish the waters it was special and convinced a reluctant near the mouth of the was about 5 km offshore. over the subma the rather smelly fish back to the museum. and in Indonesia. They seem to be pn rine shelf, nets to largely to a captain, a curator, and a chem- were no freezers water. An hour or so later, the nets were such a large fish. It was then taken to a ist, Latimeria is or equipment to preserve into 40 fathoms (240 ft. about 73 m) of is a living fossil again today 45 ntroducti

Explanation / Answer

Living fossils are the organisms with arrested evolution as they retain their ancient characters in recent time too. eg. L atimeria fish that retains many primitive characters like well developed notochord unique snout, fleshy appendages. Last ancestor of this line lasted75 million years ago.

1938, a fishing captain found it in marine waters in Africa and was kept in a museum in Africa. Its importance was evaluated by J.L. B Smith_ an Ichthyologist by determination. other Latimaria fish were found other places After this.

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