Living Fossils: Animals That Have Withstood the Test of Time Book

Living fossils are survivors from the dawn of life on earth. They have survived mass extinction, escaped the enemies that killed off other animals, and avoided evolution to live for tens and even hundreds of millions of years virtually unchanged. When the dinosaurs perished, the "living fossils" remained—and even thrived. The award-winning author of Hiding Out, Tentacles, and Chameleons documents these resilient creatures, from the exotic to the familiar, including the Komodo dragon, crocodile, alligator, horseshoe crab, nautilus, and the ubiquitous cockroach. With dazzling photographs, detailed illustrations comparing the creatures' ancient habitats, and awesome facts, Living Fossils unravels some of the mysteries behind nature's longest running success stories.