What is the oldest living species on planet earth?

Question

My guess would be some sort of lizard, tortise, or prehistoric looking bird such as a pelican. Any official answers?

Answer 1

Stromatolites are slow-growing algal mats that grow in a vertical profile, forming wide columns in certain areas. They used to be much more common, but browsers such as snails and other moluscs enjoy eating them. Now they remain only in certain areas where the salinity is too high for snails and other creatures that would otherwise consume them.

From reference 1:

"In the hyper-saline water of Hamelin Pool at the base of Shark Bay in W.A. the rocks aren't quite what the appear to be. They are living things, Stromatolites, which are the oldest living organisms on the planet. Some scientists believe they were the first living things on mother earth. Dr Phillip Playford is a scientist and historian who has studied every facet of stromatolites."

See reference 2 for an image.

Oncolites are older forms of stromatolites; they seem to be less well-ordered, and are spherical. There does not appear to be a clear equivalent in today's world.

Answer 2

Here is a simple time table:

1. First single-celled organisms "3000 million years ago"
2. Jellyfish "600 m.y.a."
3. Coral "520 m.y.a."
4. Trilobite, Mollusks "500 m.y.a"
5. Sea scorpion "400 m.y.a."
6. Primitive fish "390 m.y.a."
7. Early amphibian "370 m.y.a."
8. Reptile "275 m.y.a."
9. Dinosaurs "150 m.y.a."
10. Homo sapiens (Humans) "About 100,000 years ago"

Hope that helps ..

Answer 3

The very oldest species on Earth are the cyanobacteria, which seem to have been around virtually unchanged for nearly 4 billion years.

Answer 4

In case you need something bigger. There are crustanceans that lives for 500 millions years unchanged.

The nautilus - strange looking squid ancientor still exist today
And the horseshoe crab.
http://www.nwcreation.net/fossilsliving.html

-- If you want the animsl of living the longest age. Just found this site

www.extremescience.com/OldestLivingThing.htm

Answer 5

There are still ancient microbes still around that can be found in fossil form from millions of years ago (pre-jurrasic). There are also trilobytes still in existence, such as brine shrimp.

Answer 6

Cockroaches

Answer 7

The Oldest Creatures in the World

There is something particularly funny about the elderly. Maybe its the way they fall asleep wherever they sit down, maybe it's the fact that they turn mean and intolerant, often lying about what they have done in their lives. Somehow, through the sands of time, grandpa forgets all of the prostitutes he has killed and grandma doesn't remember fellating a sailor for tickets to the World's Fair. Whatever it is, one thing is for sure: old things are priceless. This article is all about the oldest beings currently living as of 2006.

1. Cheetah the Chimp: The Oldest Living Primate
Cheetah the Chimp isn't just famous for being the oldest ape in the world, he is also a movie star... from the 30's. He is the chimp in every single Tarzan movie ever made, and in fact is the only cast member still living from any of those films. He was born in 1932 in Africa and brought to the U. S. by a kindly old American gentleman who proceeded to beat him with a switch and teach him method acting.
According to his handlers Cheetah spends his days hanging around the house watching old movies of himself with his grandson (seriously). He seems to miss the days when he was a star, the hottest chimp in Hollywood. Alas, that time is long gone, and now he resembles a grizzled old homeless man, just like Nick Nolte.


2. Harriet The Elderly Tortoise
Harriet, the 176 year old Galapagos Tortoise, was the oldest animal in the world until her death in June 2006. She is pictured here being wrangled by the Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter, who, when he's not fighting dangerous predators with khaki shorts and bare hands, spends his time running the Australia Zoo. Harriet was such an old turtle that she knew Charles Darwin, who brought her back from the Galapagos to England in the 1800's.

She was a quiet old lass, by all accounts, who liked her dinner quick and her water lukewarm. She didn't take sass from the other tortoises, and zoo patrons called her "The Grand Old Lady". Well I know one lady who is slightly grander, and her name is:


3. Maria Esther Capovilla
You wanna talk matronly? You wanna talk conservative? Then talk to Maria Capovilla of Equador, the oldest *** biatch on the face of the Earth. Coincidentally, she is also the woman with the most makeup on her face. Some speculate that this is due the fact that she is actually the living dead, and the smell of her rotting vampyre flesh would attract goth ne'er-do-wells and hungry wild dogs, both of which would waste no time feasting upon her feeble cadaver.

Maria has some fairly antiquated views about the world. For one, she does not believe in women's rights. Fair enough, most people don't. What really bothers her though, is when women pursue men. You know, now that I have written it all down, I really like Maria. We share a common morality. Seriously, women, stop voting and for god's sake please stop pursing me! Wait until I come to you, it is just not becoming of a young woman to be openly cruising for lovin', that's the man's job.
Though many have accused her of being preserved by sleeping in a woman-sized jar of alochol, she claims she has never touched the stuff. She says she partied hard when she was young, but never drank. At the time, it was the custom for women to "just touch the rim of the glass with their lips without drinking, as a sign of accepting hospitality," her family said. I've been asked to touch my lips to a rim before too, but believe me, that was hospitality I refused to accept.


4. Spike, the World's Oldest Cat
Seen here celebrating his birthday in true ******** style, as all cats do, Spike lived to be 31 years old. Unfortunately, like Harriet the Tortoise, he has left no heir to his geriatric throne. Spike was reportedly filled with piss and vinegar to the very end, eating spiders and jumping suddenly onto his owners crotch with his claws out til the very end.

It's a good thing cats don't live longer, because they are such selfish little bastards. They don't want your love, they want your service. You can see in Spike's eyes that he expects you to feed him that cake with a golden spoon and then stick your pinky in his asshole and tongue kiss him. He thinks he can get whatever he wants just because he is the oldest cat around. Well guess what, Spike, you were buried inside of a kleenex box in your neighbor's garden. Some prestige you have.

5. Bramble the Senile Canine Hippy
Bramle is a filthy old dog, who as of 2002 was turning 27 years old. He appears to be a hell hound with red eyes and no soul, but he is actually a chocolate lab whose secret to longevity is vegetarianism. What a pretentious old cur, trying to push his vegan agenda on the world with his fame. Just like Linda McCartney.
And there you have them, the most beautiful elderly creatures on the planet. Some have known fame, some are self righteous assholes, and some lick rims. Enjoy them while they last, because they won't be around for long.

Answer 8

Archeabacteria are the oldest living organisms on earth!

Answer 9

No, go to single cell creatures, the most primitive of which even lack a nucleus: bacteria!

Answer 10

i am guessing a virus, such as ebola or something similar, something living the jungles of africa for sure though.