Natures Wonders- living fossils (Introduction)

by David Turell , Monday, November 13, 2017, 17:56 (2349 days ago) @ David Turell

The living fossil the frilled shark has again been found off Portugal. It has been around for 80 million years. Like the coelacanth it creates the issue of why certain species survive forever without changing.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=6&...

"Scientists have discovered a dinosaur-era shark with 300 teeth and a snake’s head off the Portuguese coast.

"The frilled shark was caught by a trawler during a research project on how to minimise unwanted catches during commercial fishing, according to Sic Noticias TV.
The rare species dates back 80 million years. 

"While its peers, such as the Tyrannosaurus rex and triceratops, died out long ago, this shark, with its frilled teeth and long, slim body still swims at great depths of at least 700 metres (2,300 feet).

"Professor Margarida Castro of the University of the Algarve told Sic Noticias that the shark has 300 teeth, “which allows it to trap squid, fish and other sharks in sudden lunges”.
According to the Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere, the captured shark measured 1.5 m in length and was swimming off the Algarve coast.
 
"The shark usually lives in the Atlantic and in waters near Australia, New Zealand and Japan, as reported by the BBC. At such depths the shark is in constant darkness, crushing pressure and extremely cold temperatures.

"It is not known why this species has survived when other prehistoric creatures have not. It has also been speculated that the frilled shark influenced 19th century sailors’ stories of sea serpents.

More comment:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2017/11/12/this-ancient-shar...

"The frilled fish has a remarkably simple anatomy, probably because of a lack of nutrients in its aquatic environment. But there’s no definitive answer about why it outlived its Cretaceous contemporaries."

Comment: And that is exactly the point. Why do certain species survive forever. Is it accidental or a perfect adaptation to its environment? Or part of God's plan?