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From: sharp@hpfcdj.HP.COM (Darrin Sharp)
Newsgroups: sci.bio
Subject: Coelocanth and evolution:x
Message-ID: <17580003@hpfcdj.HP.COM>
Date: 3 Jun 91 14:03:55 GMT
Organization: Hewlett Packard -- Fort Collins, CO
Lines: 19


	Last night, on the "National Geographic Explorer",
	there was a segment on the coelocanth (sp?). This
	is a fish that was thought to be extinct, but live
	specimens were rediscovered in the 1930's off the
	S.E. coast of Africa. Since then, several are
	caught each year.

	The show made mention of the fact that these fish
	were unchanged for the last 400 million years.

	I know that outwardly, the live specimens very closely
	resemble the 400 million year old fossils. But how
	can this be? Is it common for organisms to not evolve
	for 400 million years? How long has it been since sharks
	and alligators/turtles/crocodiles evolved? Any other
	species that haven't changed in this long? 

	Darrin Sharp (sharp@hpfcla.fc.hp.com)