20 Animals That Have Been On Earth Longer Than Humans

1. Jellyfish - 500 million years

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When early jellyfish organisms left behind imprints and fossil records, this was an indication that they have been around for 500 million years or possibly longer.  This would make jellyfish one of the oldest living creatures on Earth.  They have, of course, evolved and adapted to the varieties we see today.

2. Shark - 450 million years

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The oldest shark fossils date back about 450 million years. That would mean that they were around long before dinosaurs which is hard to comprehend.  Over this time there have been no less than five extinctions and sharks have managed to survive every one of them.

3. Sea Urchins - 450 million years

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Sea urchins have been surviving in our oceans for approximately 450 million years  They are members of the phylum Echinodermata, closely related to starfish, sea cucumbers and sand dollars.  As the years have gone by, sea urchins have diversified into various different species.

4. Horseshoe Crabs - 450 million years

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Horseshoe crabs belong to the Xiphosura order with a history dating back 450 million years. Their ancestors can be traced to the late Ordovician period which means they are one of the oldest living species ever.  They are sometimes called "living fossils" as they haven't changed much through time.

5. Millipede - 420 million years

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Whilst we humans aren't generally fans of millipedes, they are a resilient creature.  They have done a great job taking care of vegetable waste for 420 million years!  As of today there are around 13,000 millipede species on every continent excluding Antarctica.  You can't fail to recognise them by their many legs!

6. Scorpions -  400 million years

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Fact - scorpions have been arachnids for more than 400 million years!  They were probably aquatic creatures back then, evolving and adapting to terrestrial environments.  These days, scorpions have kept their characteristics, their venomous stingers and pincers.

7. Lungfish - 400 million years

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The lungfish have graced the Earth for 400 million years.  They are considered to be part of a group of the oldest albino colored vertebrates.  Their ancestors first appeared during the Devonian period which was actually 419 million years ago and lungfish have kept a similar appearance since then.

8. Dragonflies - 300 million years

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Here we see a dragonfly feasting on a wasp. Ugh!  About 300 million years ago, the ancient dragonfly had a large wingspan and surprisingly, through evolution, not much has altered.  The dragonfly's capability is the same as back then and its body is still similar.  Some things don't change!

9. Frog - 265 million years

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The oldest frog fossil ever discovered is 265 million years old, being discovered in Madagascar. Of course, there are frogs everywhere now, especially within a short distance of water. The area where you are likely to see the most concentrated number is in the tropical rainforest.

10. Turtle - 200-300 million years

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Turtles have been walking the Earth for between 200 and 300 million years which makes them ancient in anyone's book! There was real excitement, back in 2007, in China's Guizhou province, when the oldest turtle fossil was discovered, a mere 220 million years old.

11. Lizard - 200 million years

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Would you believe that there are still lizards that resemble the ancient reptiles that existed during the time when dinosaurs were roaming the Earth? Lizards have been on the planet for about 200 million years and today you can find more than 4,675 different species.

12. Ants - 140-168 million years

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The first ants existed at the same time that dinosaurs were roaming around the Earth and that was 140-168 million years ago. It's interesting to note that once flowers started to bloom and blossom, the ants started multiplying, creating mass numbers. They still like to gather in colonies.

13. Octopus - 135 million years

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Some believe that the octopus came down from space, the species arriving as eggs on an icy meteor! Scientists are of the opinion that they have been here on Earth for 135 million years. Octopus are closely related to squids and it is predominantly their nervous systems which differ.

14. Snake - 100 million years

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Snakes likely evolved from four legged reptilians, probably landbound lizards and marine reptiles which were known to be on Earth over 100 million years ago.  It is not the easiest of processes to find their fossils as, like bats, snakes have fragile bones. The most venomous snakes can be found in Nepal and Bangladesh.

15. Alligator - 80 million years

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The closest relatives to alligators are crocodiles which appeared around 80 million years ago so we can assume that is when alligators first stepped on the scene. Many animals became extinct during this period and it's still not known why the alligators survived.

16. Rat - 66 million years

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Rats are literally are all over the planet and within metres of every human, so they say.  There are 2,200 species of rats,  the most well known being beavers, guinea pigs, mice and squirrels.  Rodent types of creatures have been on Earth  for 66 million years, appearing after dinosaurs became extinct.

17. Gorilla - 65 million years

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Primates which include gorillas, have been on Earth for 65 million years.  It did take a good few million years for the ancestors to evolve into the gorillas we are familiar with today and as of now, there are about 500 different species of primate, although this is an estimation.

18. Penguin - 62 million years

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Here's an amazing fact - the oldest penguin fossil dates back 62 million years.  The gap between the ancestors of the flightless birds and those we know today does, however, leave questions as to what happened to the older ones  Scientists on still working on that.

19. Elephant - 55 million years

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Over two hundred species of elephants have been walking the Earth over the last 55 million years. The first known elephant is believed to have been the size of a pig, living in a swampy environment.  The elephant's size has gradually increased and that includes its trunk!

20. Bat - 52 million years

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Fossils of bats are difficult to locate because of their light bones but the few that have been discovered have supplied closure as to how long they have been on the planet.  The earliest fossil dates back to 52 million years and it was found in Wyoming, USA in 2003.

21. Dolphins - 50 million years

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Dolphins have been swimming in the seas for 50 million years. These early odontocetes were not the dolphins that we recognize today but thy did represent the evolutionary precursors of modern dolphins and various other toothed whales.  Dolphins are known for their intelligence.

22. Ostrich - 40 million years

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I'd die for eyelashes like those!  The oldest ostrich fossils were discovered in central Europe in the 1930s.  The results showed they have been on Earth for around 40 million years. Having said that, fossil records of modern ostriches date back 23 million years.

23. Koala - 30 million years

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Koalas have been a species for 30 million years.  They have been alive since Australia was already separated as a continent at a time when only koalas lived there. During these periods, there have been many different species  but all sharing similarities between them.

24. Crow - 15-25 million years

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Found on an island north of Australia, the oldest DNA signature of the crow ancestors is 30 million years old.  The American Crow is believed to have diverged from its common ancestor with the northwestern Crow quite recently, 3 million years ago.  As a whole, the Corvus genus, dates back to 15-25 million years ago.

25. Hyena - 22 million years

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Fossil evidence shows that early hyena-like creatures were around during the Miocene epoch, which began about 22 million years ago.  Modern hyenas have evolved from its early ancestors who had longer legs and pointed jaws.  The spotted hyena makes sounds as if it's laughing!

26. Hedgehog - 15 - 20 million years

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Hedgehogs have existed for 15-20 million years.  The hedgehog species that we see nowadays may not be the same one that existed back then but one thing that has stayed true to them is their recognisable spikes which stand up when they are faced with danger.

27. Giraffe - 15 million years

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Giraffes have been around for 15 million years.  Even the early giraffid creatures looked like the modern ones with their body shape and those long necks. Giraffes have adapted over time and they continue to be one of the most recognisable and iconic mammals.

28. Hippopotamus - 5-10 million years

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The hippo is thought to have been around for 5 to 10 million years, during the Late Miocene period. This time frame is based on genetic studies and evidence from fossils.  Their closest relatives are whales and dolphins with whom they share a common ancestry.

29. Giant Panda - 2 - 3 million years

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The giant pandas has been a species for around 2-3 million years..  The earliest known fossil of the giant panda dates back to the late Pliocene (when the earth was much warmer) and these animals have evolved from ancestors who were  likely to be omnivorous. Over the years they adapted their diet to consist mainly of bamboo.

30. Bison - 2 million years

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Bison have been grazing for 2 million years.  The American bison is believed to have evolved from an ancestor known as Bison antiquus.  This species lived during the Pleistocene epoch and the ancient bison eventually gave rise to the modern American bison.