Elvis taxon
Encyclopedia
In paleontology
, an Elvis taxon (plural Elvis taxa) is a taxon
which has been misidentified as having re-emerged in the fossil record after a period of presumed extinction
, but is not actually a descendant of the original taxon, instead having developed a similar morphology through convergent evolution
. This implies the extinction of the original taxon is real, and the two taxa are polyphyletic.
By contrast, a Lazarus taxon
is one which actually is a descendant of the original taxon, and highlights missing fossil records, which may be found later. A zombie taxon
is a type of Lazarus taxon
sample that was mobile in the time between its original death and its subsequent discovery in a site of younger classification, like, for example, a trilobite that gets eroded out of its Cambrian-aged limestone matrix, and reworked into Miocene-aged siltstone.
The term was coined by D. H. Erwin and M. L. Droser in a 1993 paper to distinguish descendant from non-descendant taxa:
"Rather than continue the biblical tradition favored by Jablonski [for Lazarus taxa], we prefer a more topical approach and suggest that such taxa should be known as Elvis taxa, in recognition of the many Elvis
impersonators
who have appeared since the death of The King."
Lobothyris subgregaria, a brachiopod
from the early Jurassic period, is one example of such a taxon.
Paleontology
Paleontology "old, ancient", ὄν, ὀντ- "being, creature", and λόγος "speech, thought") is the study of prehistoric life. It includes the study of fossils to determine organisms' evolution and interactions with each other and their environments...
, an Elvis taxon (plural Elvis taxa) is a taxon
Taxon
|thumb|270px|[[African elephants]] form a widely-accepted taxon, the [[genus]] LoxodontaA taxon is a group of organisms, which a taxonomist adjudges to be a unit. Usually a taxon is given a name and a rank, although neither is a requirement...
which has been misidentified as having re-emerged in the fossil record after a period of presumed extinction
Extinction
In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
, but is not actually a descendant of the original taxon, instead having developed a similar morphology through convergent evolution
Convergent evolution
Convergent evolution describes the acquisition of the same biological trait in unrelated lineages.The wing is a classic example of convergent evolution in action. Although their last common ancestor did not have wings, both birds and bats do, and are capable of powered flight. The wings are...
. This implies the extinction of the original taxon is real, and the two taxa are polyphyletic.
By contrast, a Lazarus taxon
Lazarus taxon
In paleontology, a Lazarus taxon is a taxon that disappears from one or more periods of the fossil record, only to appear again later. The term refers to the account in the Gospel of John, in which Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead...
is one which actually is a descendant of the original taxon, and highlights missing fossil records, which may be found later. A zombie taxon
Zombie taxon
In paleontology, a zombie taxon or the zombie effect refers to a fossil such as a dinosaur tooth that was washed out of sediments and re-deposited in rocks and/or sediments millions of years younger. This basic mistake in the interpretation of the age of the fossil leads to its title...
is a type of Lazarus taxon
Lazarus taxon
In paleontology, a Lazarus taxon is a taxon that disappears from one or more periods of the fossil record, only to appear again later. The term refers to the account in the Gospel of John, in which Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead...
sample that was mobile in the time between its original death and its subsequent discovery in a site of younger classification, like, for example, a trilobite that gets eroded out of its Cambrian-aged limestone matrix, and reworked into Miocene-aged siltstone.
The term was coined by D. H. Erwin and M. L. Droser in a 1993 paper to distinguish descendant from non-descendant taxa:
"Rather than continue the biblical tradition favored by Jablonski [for Lazarus taxa], we prefer a more topical approach and suggest that such taxa should be known as Elvis taxa, in recognition of the many Elvis
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
impersonators
Elvis impersonator
An Elvis impersonator is someone who impersonates or copies famed American musician Elvis Presley. Professional Elvis impersonators can work all over the world as entertainers, and such tribute acts are in great demand due to the unique iconic status of Elvis...
who have appeared since the death of The King."
Lobothyris subgregaria, a brachiopod
Brachiopod
Brachiopods are a phylum of marine animals that have hard "valves" on the upper and lower surfaces, unlike the left and right arrangement in bivalve molluscs. Brachiopod valves are hinged at the rear end, while the front can be opened for feeding or closed for protection...
from the early Jurassic period, is one example of such a taxon.
Other uses
Some species and specimens have been named after Elvis Presley, but are not Elvis taxa.- The dinosaur CryolophosaurusCryolophosaurusCryolophosaurus was a large theropod dinosaur, with a crest on its head that looked like a Spanish comb. Due to the resemblance of this feature to Elvis Presley's pompadour haircut from the 1950s, this dinosaur was at one point informally known as "Elvisaurus".Cryolophosaurus was excavated from...
is known informally as Elvisaurus for its nasal crest resembling Elvis Presley's pompadourPompadour (hairstyle)Pompadour is a tall style of men's haircut which takes its name from Madame de Pompadour.There are Latin variants of the hair style more associated with European and Argentine tango fashion trends and occasionally with late 20th century musical genres such as rockabilly and country.The pompadour...
haircut. - A specimen of BrachylophosaurusBrachylophosaurusBrachylophosaurus was a mid-sized member of the hadrosaurid family of dinosaurs. It is known from several skeletons and bonebed material from the Judith River Formation of Montana and the Oldman Formation of Alberta, living about 76.5 million years ago....
was named 'Elvis' by its discoverer.