Why is the horseshoe crab an example of a living fossil?

Question

Question 9 options:

A)

The structures in the horseshoe crab don't decompose, so complete fossils are discovered.

B)

There are fossils of extinct ancestors of horseshoe crabs, and the species is still alive today.

C)

It's often found frozen to death and free of decomposition.

D)

It hasn't changed since it first appeared on Earth.

Answer 1

The correct answer is:

B) There are fossils of extinct ancestors of horseshoe crabs, and the species is still alive today.

Horseshoe crabs are considered "living fossils" because they have existed for hundreds of millions of years, and their anatomical features have remained relatively unchanged over that vast period. This means they resemble their ancient ancestors, which provides significant insight into early marine life and evolutionary processes.