Question

Which one of the following is not a living fossil?
A. Lopholithodes
B. Sphenodon
C. Archaeopteryx
D. Peripatus

Answer 1

Hint:
Before we proceed into the problem, it is important to know the definitions of living fossils.
Living fossils are organisms that were initially discovered as a fossil and thought to be extinct but were subsequently discovered to be alive.
Any extant species that has stayed largely unmodified from earlier geologic periods matches its fossil relatives very closely, and whose close cousins are typically extinct. Like a horseshoe.

Complete step by step answer:
By examining and observing closely similar current species, living fossils aid scientists in understanding the biology of extinct organisms.
They might also aid in their understanding of the conditions on early Earth.
A living fossil is an organism that is a member of a species that would otherwise be extinct. In other terms, a living fossil is the only living individual within the talon that it belongs to (while the other members of the talon are extinct). Horseshoe crabs, or Limulus, are an illustration of a living fossil.
Therefore, Archaeopteryx is not a living fossil.

Option ‘C’ is correct

Note:
As a matter of fact, King crab, Sphenodon, and Peripatus are living fossils, whereas Archaeopteryx serves as a link between birds and reptiles. The preserved remains, or traces of remains, of extinct animals, are called fossils.
The remains of the organism itself are not fossils! They're stones.
An extant talon that superficially resembles closely related species solely known from the fossil record is referred to as a living fossil.