Ancient animals are animals that lived in the past, then became extinct. However, not all ancient animals experienced extinction. There are several ancient animals that still survive, both at sea and on land. Examples of extinct animals are the megalodon, dinosaurs and titanoboa. These animals lived in various eras and were very large in size.
Talking about ancient animals, humans are also responsible for the environment. These animals are endangered because their population is decreasing. Several animals have become extinct due to human hunting, tree cutting, fires, and difficulty finding food.
Humans have helped push some animals that are predicted to experience extinction. Examples of ancient animals in Indonesia that are experiencing extinction, namely orangutans, proboscis monkeys, Sumatran elephants, Sumatran tigers, rhinos, bulls, and many more.
Ancient Animals in Indonesia
Indonesia has interesting biodiversity and animals to know. There are various species of ancient animals in Indonesia. These animals are scattered in various regions in Indonesia.
1. Ancient Komodo Dragons
Komodo dragons or complete Komodo dragons ( Varanus komodoensis ) are large monitor lizard species found on the islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili Motang and Gili Dasami in East Nusa Tenggara Province. This monitor lizard by the natives of the island of Komodo is also called by the local name “ora”. Another name for the Komodo dragon is land crocodile, although the Komodo dragon is not a species of crocodile.
Komodo dragons are the largest species in the Varanidae family , as well as the largest lizards in the world, with an average length of 2–3 meters and can weigh up to 100 kilograms. The Komodo dragon is the top predator in its habitat because so far there is no known large carnivore other than this monitor lizard anywhere in its geography.
Their massive body and terrible reputation made them one of the most famous ancient animals in the world. Now, the real habitat of the Komodo dragon has shrunk due to human activities, so that the IUCN agency includes the Komodo dragon as a species that is vulnerable to extinction. The Komodo dragon has been designated as a protected animal by the Indonesian government and its habitat has been made into a national park, namely the Komodo National Park, whose purpose was established to protect them.
2. Crocodile Ancient Animal
Crocodiles are large-bodied reptiles that live in water. Scientifically, crocodiles include all species of members of the Crocodylidae tribe , including the sepit crocodile ( Tomistoma schlegelii ). However, this name can also be used loosely to refer to alligator, caiman and gavial crocodiles; namely relatives of crocodiles of different tribes.
Crocodiles generally inhabit freshwater habitats such as rivers, lakes, swamps and other wetlands. However, there are also those who live in brackish water such as estuarine crocodiles. Crocodile’s main food is vertebrates such as fish, reptiles and mammals, sometimes it also preys on mollusks and crustaceans depending on the species. Crocodiles are ancient animals, which have changed little due to evolution since the time of the dinosaurs.
There are also several regional names to refer to crocodiles, such as buhaya (Sundanese); danger (Banjar); baya or bajul (Javanese); bicokok (Betawi), bekatak, or crocodile frog to call a small, fat crocodile; senyulong , crocodile jolong-jolong (Malay), or crocodile julung-julung to call a fish crocodile; pandan crocodile , which is a greenish crocodile; copper alligator , a tawny alligator; and others.
In English crocodile is known as crocodile . The name comes from the mention of the Greeks for the crocodile they saw in the Nile, krokodilos ; the word formation is rooted from the words kroko , which means “pebbles”, and deilos which means “worms” or “people”. They called it “rock worm” because they observed the habit of crocodiles sunbathing on the rocky banks of rivers.
3. Turtle
Sea turtles are sea turtles that are found in all the world’s oceans. According to data from scientists, turtles have existed since the end of the Jurassic period (145-208 million years ago) or are the same age as dhinosaurs. At that time, Archelon , which was six meters long, and Cimochelys were already swimming in ancient seas like today’s turtles.
Turtles have a pair of forelimbs in the form of rowers’ feet which give them the agility to swim in the water. Even though they have wandered in the water all their lives, the vertebrate group of animals, the reptile class, still has to occasionally rise to the surface of the water to take a breath. That’s because turtles breathe with lungs. Sea turtles generally migrate long distances in not too long a time. A distance of 3,000 kilometers can be covered in 58-73 days.
Sea turtles experience various egg-laying cycles, from 2-8 years. While male turtles spend their entire lives in the sea, females occasionally come ashore to lay their eggs. Female turtles prefer sandy beaches devoid of humans and sources of noise and light as a place to lay their hundreds of eggs, in holes dug with their hind legs.
When landing to lay eggs, disturbances in the form of light or sound can make turtles discourage them and return to the sea, also turtles use the earth’s magnetism as an aid to return to their hometown when they are still hatchlings, and return when they are adults to lay eggs.
Turtles that hatch in Indonesian coastal waters have been found around the Hawaiian Islands. Turtles are known to be disloyal to their place of birth. Not a lot of regeneration produced by a turtle. Of the hundreds of eggs laid by a female turtle, only a dozen hatchlings (baby turtles) make it back to the sea and grow to maturity. It also doesn’t take into account hunting by humans and their natural predators such as crabs, birds and rats on the beach, as well as large fish once the hatchlings touch deep waters.
4. Arowana fish
Asian Arowana ( Scleropages formosus ) or Siluk Merah is a freshwater fish species from Southeast Asia. This fish has a long body; the anal fin is located far back on the body. Asian Arowana generally has a silvery color. Asian Arowana is also called “Dragon Fish” because it is often associated with dragons from Chinese Mythology.
Asian Arowana is a native species of rivers in Southeast Asia, especially Indonesia. There are four color varieties found in the location, namely green, found in Indonesia, Vietnam, Burma, Thailand and Malaysia; gold with a red tail, found in Indonesia; gold, found in Malaysia; and red, found in Indonesia.
The Asian Arowana was listed on the list of endangered species with “endangered” status by the IUCN in 2004. The number of this species is declining due to frequent trade due to its high value as an aquarium fish, especially by Asian people. Feng Shui followers can pay a heavy price for this fish.
Arowana is a freshwater bony fish from the Osteoglossidae family , also known as bonytongues . Arowana is actually a type of ancient fish that has not yet become extinct. Many names are attached to it, including Siluk Fish, Kayangan Fish, Kalikasi Fish, and Kelasa Fish.
5. Pangolin
The anteater or pangolin (also known as the scaly anteater) is a mammal of the order Pholidota. One extant family, Manidae, has three genera, namely Manis , which contains four species living in Asia, Phataginus , which consists of two species living in Africa, and Smutsia , which consists of two species also living in Africa. This species ranges in size from 30 centimeters to 100 centimeters. A number of extinct pangolin species are also known. The name pangolin comes from the Malay word “roller”. Pangolins are found naturally in tropical areas throughout Africa and Asia.
6. Sea King Fish
The Indonesian coelacanth ( Latimeria menadoensis ) or also known in Indonesia as the king of the sea fish, is one of two living species of coelacanth, a type of ancient fish, which still exist today. The Indonesian coelacanth has a characteristic brownish body scales. This rare fish is included in the IUCN Red List with the vulnerable category. One other species, namely Latimeria chalumnae (West Indian Ocean Coelacanth) is listed as critically endangered.
The habitat of the Indonesian coelacanth is around the waters of the Sulawesi Sea, especially around Manado Tua Island, Malalayang waters, Manado Bay, and in Talise waters, North Minahasa. The coelacanth fish habitat is at a depth of more than 180 meters with a maximum temperature of 18 degrees Celsius.
In Indonesia, dry preserved Indonesian coelacanth specimens are stored in glass cases and exhibited at Seaworld Indonesia, Jakarta. Meanwhile in Indonesia, there are at least two wet preserved Indonesian coelacanths, namely those kept at the LIPI Biology Museum in Cibinong and in Manado.
The discovery of this fish began when Arnaz and Mark Erdmann traveled to Indonesia for their honeymoon on September 18, 1997. They saw strange fish being sold at the Manado Tua market, in North Sulawesi. Mark thought the fish was a gombessa (Comoros coelacanth), though it was brown instead of blue.
An expert noticed their photos uploaded to the internet and realized how significant this discovery was. Erdmann then contacted local fishermen and asked them to immediately send fish like this, if there is a catch of this fish in the future. The second Indonesian Coelacanth specimen measuring 1.2 meters long and weighing 29 kilograms was caught alive on 30 July 1998.
The fish lived for six hours, allowing scientists to document by photo its colouration, fin movements and general behavior. This specimen was later preserved and donated to the Zoologicum Bogoriense Museum (MZB), part of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI).
DNA tests showed that this specimen was genetically distinct from the coelacanth population on the Comoros islands, West Indian Ocean. In plain view, the appearance of the Indonesian coelacanth, which the locals call the king of the sea, is similar to the Comoros coelacanth. The main difference is the color of the background scales of this fish, the Indonesian coelacanth is grayish brown, while the Comoros coelacanth is blue-gray.
This fish is mentioned in the French scientific journal Comptes Rendus de l’Académie des sciences Paris, published in 1999, by Pouyaud et al. This fish was then a new species which was given the scientific name Latimeria menadoensis . In 2005, a molecular study estimated the time of branching between the two coelacanth species to be around 40–30 million years ago.
On several occasions direct research in its natural habitat, Coelacanth was found dwelling in the mouth of a cave of underwater lava rock. Physically, at first glance the living fossil looks like a tiger grouper. Sharp-toothed dark stripes. The Indonesian coelacanth at first glance looks very much like the West Indian Ocean (Comoros) coelacanth, but the color of the Indonesian coelacanth is brownish, while the Comoros coelacanth is bluish.
The most obvious uniqueness of this fish is the presence of a pair of pectoral fins, pelvic fins, one anal fin (lower back), and one dorsal fin which is not attached to the body, but sticks out, lobes, and fleshy like limbs. To stay in position, the coelacanth moves its pelvic and pectoral fins like oars.
The forward motion comes from the anal fin and the dorsal fin. The coelacanth’s upper jaw can move open like the lower jaw. With that ability, the coelacanth, a carnivorous fish, can prey on larger fish. Coelacanths hatch their eggs in their stomachs, not outside their bodies.
7. Belangkas
Mimi or Belangkas (Limulidae tribe) includes four types of segmented animals (arthropods) that inhabit shallow waters in marshy areas and mangrove areas. All of them are members of the Limulidae tribe and are the only representatives of the Xiphosurida people who still survive on earth. These animal fossil prints have not changed significantly since the Devonian period (400-250 million years ago) compared to their present form, although the types are not the same.
The Javanese call mimi for the male sex and mintuna for the female. This animal is monogamous, so it is often used as a symbol of the longevity of married couples. The British know it as the horseshoe crab or “horseshoe crab” because of its shape which is considered to be like a horseshoe. Belangkas is a protected animal in Indonesia.
Its blood plasma extract ( Haemocyte lysate ) is widely used in biomedical and environmental studies. In the United States, China and Japan this blood extract is used as an endotoxin test material and to diagnose meningitis and gonorrhea. Anti-toxin serum using cashews has been developed in Europe, the United States, Japan, and West Asia.
The color of scarlet blood is blue, formed from a compound similar to hemoglobin in humans, called hemocyanin. If hemoglobin has an iron atom as a center, hemocyanin has a copper atom as a center.
Cassava meat and eggs can be consumed. The Malay community in Kota Tinggi, Johor, is familiar with sour and spicy dishes and stir-fried belangkas. Belangkas is also eaten by simply grilling or grilling it. However, shortbread produces a kind of poison that can be intoxicating. Only certain parts are allowed to be eaten and only a person who is used to it and an expert knows how to serve this rare seafood safely.
Well, Sinaumed’s. These are just a few stories about ancient animals that still live in Indonesia. It turns out that the way these animals survive is very unique. However, even though most of these animals are wild animals, we must not hunt these animals so that the natural ecosystem is preserved.
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