Lazarus taxon

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Examples of widely-recognised Lazarus taxa of different types. Clockwise from upper left; the coelacanth, Chacoan peccary, takahe, and bush dog.

A Lazarus taxon (plural taxa) is an animal or plant which was thought to have gone extinct, but has been rediscovered. Alleged but scientifically unrecognised Lazarus taxa—also called prehistoric survivors, extinct cryptids, and living fossils—are one of the major categories of cryptid. Some are reported as cryptids in their own right, while others are theoretical identities for more ambiguous cryptids.

Notable cryptozoological examples include historically-known animals such as the thylacine and Steller's sea cow, and the slightly older moa and giant lemurs; relatively recent animals such as woolly mammoths and ground sloths; and more ancient examples such as neodinosaurs and supposed marine reptiles. Well-known recognised Lazarus taxa include the coelacanth, takahe, bush dog, and Chacoan peccary.