{"id":11600,"date":"2022-09-30T09:26:42","date_gmt":"2022-09-30T08:26:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/?p=11600"},"modified":"2022-12-01T09:33:28","modified_gmt":"2022-12-01T09:33:28","slug":"are-sharks-older-than-trees","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/are-sharks-older-than-trees\/","title":{"rendered":"Are Sharks Older Than Trees? A Short Evolution Overview"},"content":{"rendered":"

Are sharks older than trees?<\/span> Believe it or not, they are <\/span>much <\/span><\/i>older. In fact, the earliest shark fossil <\/span>evidence<\/span> dates back to over 400 million years ago.<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more to revisit the <\/span>evolution<\/span> of sharks, from the first known subspecies to today\u2019s predators.<\/span><\/p>\n

Are Sharks Older Than Trees<\/span><\/h2>\n

Both sharks and trees have existed for millions of years and witnessed many other animal and plant species go extinct. However, as already stated, <\/span>sharks did exist before trees<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

This shouldn\u2019t come as a surprise since life in the deep ocean began 3.7 billion <\/span>years<\/span> ago. Sharks may not be the <\/span>earliest species<\/span> to exist there, but they rank high on that list. The earliest discovered shark skeleton shows that these <\/span>predators<\/span> evolved in the early Silurian period.<\/span><\/p>\n

Trees, on the other hand, appeared much later. The first known tree originates from the Devonian period, around 385 million years ago, which indicates at least 65\u2013year difference between the first sharks and the first trees.<\/span><\/p>\n

Even more amusing is that both are significantly older than dinosaurs, let alone humans. In comparison, dinosaurs appeared 230 million years ago, while humans started evolving only seven million years ago.<\/span><\/p>\n

Although <\/span>many confuse the Megalodon shark as a dinosaur<\/span>, it is impossible to classify it as such since Megalodons were first noted long after dinosaurs died out 66 million years ago.<\/span><\/p>\n

How Long Have Sharks Been Around<\/span><\/h2>\n

How old are sharks as a species<\/span>? The Acanthonian was the very first ancestor of sharks and started evolving during the Silurian period\u2014450 million years ago\u2014 when the ocean was already filled with bony <\/span>fish<\/span>. These creatures, widely known as <\/span>spiny sharks<\/span><\/i>, are the first to develop cartilaginous skeletal structures and the physical characteristics sharks are known for nowadays.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Are<\/p>\n

In the early Devonian Era, the first fully developed shark appeared. Although not much is known about the <\/span>Leonodus shark<\/span><\/i>, scientists believe it was 16 inches long with an eel-like body and most likely occupied freshwaters.<\/span><\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t until the late Devonian Era that the first sharks reminiscing those we\u2019d recognize today, the <\/span>Cladoselache<\/span><\/i>, started evolving. This apex predator had a six-foot long streamlined body with 5-7 gill slits and dorsal fins, all of which are characteristics of the modern-era shark. All these features influence <\/span>how fast they can swim<\/span><\/a> when hunting for food.<\/span><\/p>\n

The only notable differences between the Cladoselaches and today\u2019s sharks are that the former had a round nose shape, had no claspers, and their jaws were inflexible and fixed to their <\/span>skull<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

How Did Sharks Survive Five Mass Extinction Events<\/span><\/h2>\n

Now that we know that <\/span>sharks existed before trees<\/span>, let\u2019s see how exactly these species could persist in an ever-changing environment.<\/span><\/p>\n

Until now, five mass extinctions have managed to wipe off some of the world\u2019s most notorious predators, such as dinosaurs, but sharks somehow remained intact despite the changes. How did they survive? Is it due to their sturdy physique?<\/span><\/p>\n

Scientists believe there is no one size fits all answer to this question. However, one reason seems to pop off as a general theme\u2014sharks are dietary generalists in nature.<\/span><\/p>\n

These predators eat various foods: planktons, fish, crabs, seals, and whales. This dietary diversity makes them more likely to survive any changes that might occur in the <\/span>ocean<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Furthermore, they can swim through different parts of the water column\u2014going from the deep, dark oceans to shallow seas and even some river systems.<\/span><\/p>\n

The historical resilience of sharks seems more likely to become a thing of the past nowadays, as <\/span>overfishing and climate change threaten their existence<\/span><\/a>. Many subspecies such as the angel shark are under the direct threat of extinction, as there are <\/span>only several thousand left<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Are<\/p>\n

Why Are Fossil Shark <\/span>Teeth<\/span> So Common<\/span><\/h2>\n

Shark teeth comprise most of the fossils found of these predator creatures. This is because the <\/span>jaws<\/span> are made of dentin\u2014a more rigid material than soft cartilage, the main component of a shark\u2019s <\/span>skeleton<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sharks also continuously produce thousands of new teeth throughout their life. If a shark breaks or loses a tooth, it\u2019s soon replaced with a new one.<\/span><\/p>\n

If we\u2019re talking numbers, <\/span>these predators usually grow from 20,000 to 40,000 teeth<\/span><\/a>, thus significantly increasing the chance of a tooth rather than any other part of their bodies being found by researchers.<\/span><\/p>\n

What Was the First Tree on Earth<\/span><\/h2>\n

The now-extinct <\/span>Archaeopteris <\/span><\/i>is the first tree to ever emerge on our planet. Just like the first fully developed shark, this tree first appeared in the Devonian Era and could grow up to 50 meters. It had a thick trunk with wood that resembled conifers.<\/span><\/p>\n

First appearing in the Carboniferous Era, <\/span>Lycopsids <\/span><\/i>are the oldest group of living vascular plants and are tightly connected to their ancestors\u2014Archaeopteris. These peculiar trees reinvented secondary thickening and foliage and are still commonly found in today\u2019s age.<\/span><\/p>\n

Afterward, just out of the dinosaur era, scientists discovered two venerable ancestors: the <\/span>Wollemi pine<\/span><\/i> and <\/span>Ginkgo biloba<\/span><\/i>. The Wollemi pine first appeared 150 million years ago, while the latter is over 290 million years old and is now considered endangered.<\/span><\/p>\n

Frequently Asked Questions<\/span><\/h2>\n

Are sharks older than the rings of Saturn?<\/b><\/p>\n

Saturn\u2019s rings were only formed about ten to 100 million years ago. It might be hard to believe, but they\u2019re relatively young compared to the 450 million-year existence of sharks.<\/span><\/p>\n

Have sharks been around longer than trees<\/b>?<\/b><\/p>\n

Yes. While sharks first emerged 450 million years ago in the early Silurian era, the first ever tree appeared 65 million years later in the Devonian period.<\/span><\/p>\n

How did sharks survive the dinosaur extinction?<\/b><\/p>\n

Sharks have survived all five mass extinctions thanks to their dietary diversity and ability to swim in different parts of the water column.<\/span><\/p>\n

Are crocodiles older than trees?<\/b><\/p>\n

Although crocodiles share a heritage with dinosaurs from the Early Triassic period, the first ever crocodile started to <\/span>evolve<\/span> only 95 million years ago, which is nothing compared to the fact that trees have existed for 350 million years.<\/span><\/p>\n

Key Takeaways<\/span><\/h2>\n

So, we\u2019ve concluded that <\/span>sharks are older than trees<\/span>, and by much. It\u2019s been 100 million years between the appearance of the first sharks and the first trees.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sharks have existed long before many creatures, including dinosaurs\u2014having lived through five different mass extinctions. The secret to their longevity is attributed to their dietary choices: sharks aren\u2019t picky eaters and, depending on the subspecies, can feed on pretty much anything.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Are sharks older than trees? Believe it or not, they are much older. In fact, the earliest shark fossil evidence dates back to over 400 million years ago. Read more to revisit the evolution of sharks, from the first known subspecies to today\u2019s predators. Are Sharks Older Than Trees Both sharks and trees have existed […]<\/p>\n

Read More… from Are Sharks Older Than Trees? A Short Evolution Overview<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":42,"featured_media":11604,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11600","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-guides"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11600","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/42"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11600"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11600\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11604"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11600"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11600"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11600"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}