Gars Identified as 'Living Fossils' Due to Slowest Evolution Rate Among Vertebrates

Study finds ancient fish species can produce fertile hybrids after 105 million years, challenging conventional evolution theories.

Research reveals gars, ancient fish species, exhibit the slowest rate of molecular evolution among all jawed vertebrates, explaining their status as 'living fossils'.
Gars can produce fertile hybrid offspring despite being separated by 105 million years, challenging previous notions of species evolution and hybrid viability.
The study suggests strong DNA repair mechanisms in gars could be behind their slow evolution and potential applications to human health are being explored.
Gars' slow evolution rate limits their speciation, maintaining physical similarity to ancient ancestors and allowing for viable hybrids between long-separated species.
The discovery provides a fundamental demonstration of the evolutionary process, potentially offering insights into biodiversity and medical research.