Most species of broomstick fish are extinct. However, some species that lived in bodies of water on land evolved into amphibians. Try to find out where and why there are still a few broom fin species.
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is:
A few broomstick fish species still exist in remote, isolated freshwater habitats where environmental conditions have remained relatively stable over millions of years.
300-Word Explanation:
Broomstick fish, though largely extinct, are considered an ancient group of aquatic vertebrates. The name “broomstick fish” isn’t a formal taxonomic classification, but it refers to early lobe-finned fish (like coelacanths and lungfish) from which amphibians evolved. These fishes possessed fleshy, limb-like fins that allowed them to navigate shallow waters and eventually gave rise to tetrapods—vertebrates that walk on land.
Most broomstick-like fish went extinct due to dramatic environmental changes, such as drying lakes, competition, and changing ecosystems. However, a few related species survived in isolated freshwater environments where conditions have remained stable, allowing them to persist largely unchanged for millions of years. These species avoided extinction by living in habitats that were not greatly affected by the shifts that occurred in more open or competitive environments.
One of the most famous examples of a “living fossil” is the coelacanth, once thought to be extinct for 65 million years until it was discovered alive off the coast of South Africa in 1938. Another is the lungfish, which still exists today in Africa, South America, and Australia. These fish can breathe air and survive in oxygen-poor environments, giving them a significant survival advantage.
These surviving species typically live in remote or protected habitats like underground water systems, deep lakes, or riverbeds. Their survival is due to both ecological isolation—being cut off from predators or competitors—and biological adaptation, such as the ability to breathe air or hibernate during dry seasons.
In conclusion, some broom fin (or broomstick fish) species still exist because they found refuge in isolated environments with stable conditions and developed unique adaptations that allowed them to withstand environmental changes that wiped out other species.