Lazarus taxon

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File:Takahe and chick.jpg
The takahē of New Zealand had not been seen since 1898 when it was rediscovered in 1948.

In paleontology, a Lazarus taxon (plural taxa) is a taxon that disappears for one or more periods from the fossil record, only to appear again either in later fossil records, or as actual living organisms, and often in isolated, obscure, or otherwise very specialized habitats. Likewise in conservation biology and ecology, it can refer to species or populations that were mistakenly thought to be extinct, and are rediscovered to be still living.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> The term Lazarus taxon was coined by Karl W. Flessa and David Jablonski in 1983 and was then expanded by Jablonski in 1986.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Paul Wignall and Michael Benton defined Lazarus taxa as, "At times of biotic crisis many taxa go extinct, but others only temporarily disappeared from the fossil record, often for intervals measured in millions of years, before reappearing unchanged".<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Earlier work also supports the concept though without using the name Lazarus taxon, like work by Christopher R. C. Paul.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

The term refers to the story in the Christian biblical Gospel of John, in which Jesus Christ raised Lazarus from the dead.

Potential explanations

Lazarus taxa are observational artifacts that appear to occur either because of (local) extinction, later resupplied, or as a sampling artifact. The fossil record is inherently sporadic (only a very small fraction of organisms become fossilized, and an even smaller fraction are discovered before destruction) and contains gaps not necessarily caused by extinction, particularly when the number of individuals in a taxon is very low.

After mass extinctions, such as the Permian–Triassic extinction event, the Lazarus effect occurred for many taxa. However, there appears to be no link with the abundance of fossiliferous sites and the proportion of Lazarus taxa, and no missing taxa have been found in potential refuges. Therefore, reappearance of Lazarus taxa probably reflects the rebound after a period of extreme rarity during the aftermath of such extinctions.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

File:Fossil record gaps - animals with hard body parts.svg
Lazarus taxa and other ghost lineages reflect the sporadic nature of the fossil record.

An Elvis taxon is a look-alike that has supplanted an extinct taxon through convergent evolution.

A zombie taxon is a taxon that contains specimens that have been collected from strata younger than the extinction of the taxon. Later such fossils turn out to be freed from the original seam and refossilized in a younger sediment. For example, a trilobite that gets eroded out of its Cambrian-aged limestone matrix, and reworked into Miocene-aged siltstone.

A ghost lineage is a pronounced gap in time for the fossil record of a group, indicating that the group continued evolving throughout the gap, without direct fossil evidence from within the gap. Lazarus taxa are a type of ghost lineage where extinction was originally assumed to occur within the gap, only for younger fossils or surviving members of the group to indicate otherwise.

A living fossil is an extant taxon that appears to have changed so little compared with fossil remains, that it is considered identical. Living fossils may occur regularly in the fossil record, such as the lampshell Lingula, though the living species in this genus are not identical to fossil brachiopods.<ref name='Emig'>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Other living fossils however are also Lazarus taxa if these have been missing from the fossil record for substantial periods of time, such as applies for coelacanths.

In paleovirology, divergent clades of genomic elements from presumably extinct viruses are often known only from host genomes. However, in some cases extant viruses have later been associated with these "fossil" elements, indicating Lazarus-like taxa. For example, a clade of paleoviruses from presumed extinct filoviruses found in shrews was later found to contain an extant filovirus (Tapajós virus, TAPV).<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Finally, the term "Lazarus species" is applied to organisms that have been rediscovered as being still alive after having been widely considered extinct for years, without ever having appeared in the fossil record. In this last case, the term Lazarus taxon is applied in neontology.

Reappearing fossil taxa

From Quaternary (2.6 to 0 million years ago)

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Chacoan peccary
  • Bush dog (Speothos venaticus), last surviving species of the genus Speothos; first described as an extinct taxon in 1842 by Peter Wilhelm Lund, based on fossils uncovered from Brazilian caves; Lund found and described living specimens in 1843 without realizing they were of the same species as the fossils, dubbing the living bush dogs as members of the genus "Icticyon"; this was not corrected until some time in the 20th century.<ref>Template:YouTube. Ben G Thomas. 25 February 2018; 0:32</ref>
  • Chacoan peccary (Catagonus wagneri), last surviving species of the genus Catagonus; believed to be the closest living relative to the extinct genus Platygonus. First described as extinct in 1930 as fossils; live specimens found in 1974.<ref name='Naish'>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • False killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens), first described by the British paleontologist and biologist Richard Owen based on a skull discovered in 1843 found in Stamford, Lincolnshire in England and dated to the Middle Pleistocene around 126,000 years ago. The first carcasses washed up on the shores of Kiel Bay in Denmark in 1861; until this point the species was thought to be extinct.
  • Bulmer's fruit bat (Aproteles bulmerae), originally described from a Pleistocene garbage pile, it was subsequently discovered alive elsewhere in its native New Guinea.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • The arboreal chinchilla rats (Cuscomys spp.), which were originally described based on a single species (Cuscomys oblativus) known only from archaeological remains discovered in ancient Inca tombs described in 1912 and believed to be extinct for almost a century. A second species (Cuscomys ashaninka) was discovered alive in Peru in 1999, and photographs taken at Machu Picchu in 2009 suggest that C. oblativus is still alive as well.
  • Majorcan midwife toad (Alytes muletensis), in the family Alytidae, described from fossil remains in 1977, discovered alive in 1979.
  • Cymatioa cookae,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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From Neogene (23 to 2.6 million years ago)

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Monito del monte

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  • Monito del monte (Dromiciops gliroides), sole surviving member of the order Microbiotheria; first described in 1894, thought to have gone extinct 11 million years ago.
  • Submyotodon, a genus of bat originally known from a single fossil species (S. petersbuchensis) described in 2003 from the Miocene of Germany, about 11 to 16 million years ago. In 2015, a phylogenetic analysis of bats from Taiwan and China found three species previously classified in Myotis (M. caliginosus, M. latirostris, and M. moupinensis) to be wholly distinct from any other member of Myotis, and instead more closely allied to the fossil Submyotodon, and thus reclassified them in Submyotodon, making the genus extant once more.<ref name="Ziegler 2003">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="Ruedi 2015">Template:Cite journal</ref>
  • Dawn redwood (Metasequoia), a genus of conifer, described as a fossil in 1941, rediscovered alive in 1944.
  • Wollemi pine (Wollemia), a genus of coniferous tree in the family Araucariaceae; previously known only from fossils from 2 to 90 million years ago, rediscovered in 1994.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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From Paleogene (66 to 23 million years ago)

  • Archaeidae, a family of spiders found in Madagascar, South Africa, and Australia, originally described from amber found in Europe, dating to the Eocene in the 1840. In 1881, the first living pelican spiders were discovered in Madagascar, and in 2003, Afarchaea grimaldii was described from Cretaceous Burmese amber aged between 88 and 95 million years.
  • Lignobrycon, a characiform fish from southern Brazil, was originally described from well-preserved fossil remains from the late Oligocene in 1929. In 1998, the extant fish "Moojenichthys" myersi, described in 1956, was identified as belonging to the same genus as the fossil Lignobrycon.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
  • Juliidae, a family of small sea snails known only from eocene fossil shells, and not surprisingly, these fossils were interpreted as being the shells of bivalves. Until the mid-20th century, these creatures were still considered to be bivalves. Then, in 1959, living individuals of one species were collected on the green alga, Caulerpa, in Japan. It was immediately clear that these animals were, in fact, unusual gastropods with a two-part shell. The first-discovered live species of bivalved gastropod was Tamanovalva limax, described by Kawaguti & Baba (1959).<ref name="Kawaguti & Baba"/> Once the habitat, appearance, and life habits of these very small and inconspicuous animals were understood, researchers in subsequent years were able to find a number of other species and genera in different parts of the world, also living on various species of Caulerpa.

From Cretaceous (145 to 66 million years ago)

File:Latimeria chalumnae01.jpg
Coelacanth Latimeria chalumnae
  • Coelacanth (Latimeria), a member of a subclass (Actinistia) thought to have gone extinct 66 million years ago; live specimens found in 1938.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Alavesia, a genus of Atelestid fly, originally discovered as a fossil in amber over 100 million years old in 1999, living species found in Namibia in 2010.

From Devonian (419 to 359 million years ago)

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Monoplacophora

From Cambrian (539 to 485 million years ago)

Reappearing IUCN red list species

Plants

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Cultivars

  • Judean date palm, a distinct cultivar of date palm that disappeared around the 14th century, seeds dated from between 155 BC to 64 AD were found in the 1960s and were replanted in 2005.
  • Montreal melon, a common commercial plant in the 19th century that disappeared in the 1920s but was rediscovered after a couple of generations in a seed bank in 1996, replanted in 2024.

Fungi

  • Big puma fungus (Austroomphaliaster nahuelbutensis), seen once in the wild in Chile in the 1980s, rediscovered in 2023.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Sponges

Cnidarians

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Annelids

Onychophorans

Insects

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Lord Howe Island stick insect

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  • Amani flatwing (Amanipodagrion gilliesi), last recorded in 1962, rediscovered in 2003, it is one of three species of damselfly on the list of the 100 Most Endangered Species in the World published in 2012.
  • Appalachian grasshopper (Appalachia hebardi), last seen in 1946 before being rediscovered in 2024 in Virginia.
  • Apteromantis bolivari, last documented in 1938, rediscovered in 2011.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Atala butterfly (Eumaeus atala), disappeared in early 20th century, rediscovered in 1959.
  • Aweme borer moth (Papaipema aweme), last documented in 1938, rediscovered in 2005.
  • Austen's forest damselfly (Drepanosticta austeni), last seen in 1938, rediscovered in 2001.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Basilewsky's cranefly (Dicranomyia basilewskyana), last seen in the 1960's, rediscovered in 2015 when one landed on an entomologist in Saint Helena.
  • Bone skipper fly (Thyreophora cynophila), last seen in 1850 before being photographed in Spain in 2009.<ref>Miguel Carles-Tolrá, Pablo C. Rodríguez & Julio Verdú (2010). "Thyreophora cynophila (Panzer, 1794): collected in Spain 160 years after it was thought to be extinct (Diptera: Piophilidae: Thyreophorini)". Boletín de la Sociedad Entomológica Aragonesa (S.E.A.) 46: 1–7.</ref>
  • Balkan mountain frost butterfly (Lignyoptera thaumastaria), last seen in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1937, and in 1982 in Montenegro, was rediscovered in Bosnia in 2023.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Ceres stream-damsel (Spesbona angusta), known from only two specimens with the last being collected in 1920 near Ceres, rediscovered in 2003.
  • Chersadaula ochrogastra, rediscovered in 2020 after a user from iNaturalist posted pictures of the species, being the first time it had been recorded since the 1920s.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Dinosaur ant (Nothomyrmecia macrops), a rare genus of ants consisting of a single species, discovered in 1931, not seen again until 1977.
  • Drosophila lanaiensis, a fly endemic to Lana'i last seen in 1893, rediscovered in 2010.
  • Drosophila obatai, a fly endemic to the island of Oahu last seen in 1971, rediscovered in 2011.
  • Dyticopycna sylvia, known from a few specimens collected in 1906, rediscovered in 2006.
  • Elusive Skimmer (Orthetrum rubens), endemic to Western Cape in South Africa last seen in 1977, rediscovered in 2014.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Frightful hairy fly (Mormotomyia hirsuta), last collected in 1948, rediscovered in 2010.
  • Frosted phoenix (Titanomis sisyrota), known only from 10 specimens, with the last being collected in 1959, rediscovered in 2024.
  • Fruhstorfer's junglewatcher (Hylaeothemis fruhstorferi), last recorded in the 1930's, rediscovered in 2004.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Hine's emerald (Somatochlora hineana), last seen in the 1950's, rediscovered in 1988.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Monte Gordo grasshopper (Eyprepocprifas insularis), only known from a single specimen collected in 1980 and declared extinct in 1996, rediscovered in 2023.
  • Nietner's grappletail (Heliogomphus nietneri), last documented in 1878 and feared extinct, rediscovered in 2005.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Crustaceans

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  • Dandenong amphipod (Austrogammarus australis), last seen in 1911, rediscovered in 1997.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Shelta Cave crayfish (Orconectes sheltae), described in 1997 after last being seen in 1988, rediscovered in 2019.

Arachnids

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Fish

  • Ajamaru Lakes rainbowfish (Melanotaenia ajamaruensis), last seen in 1955, rediscovered in 2007.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Chilean angelshark (Squatina armata), known from a single specimen found in 1887, rediscovered in 2024.
  • Batman River Loach (Paraschistura chrysicristinae), a loach species not seen since 1970s. Rediscovered in 2021.<ref>Batman loach returns: fish feared extinct found in Turkey</ref>
  • Black kokanee (Oncorhynchus kawamurae), a Japanese species of salmon in the family Salmonidae; believed extinct in 1940 after attempts at conservation seemingly failed. The species was rediscovered in Saiko Lake in 2010, having survived after prior conservation efforts had introduced it there.
  • Borna snakehead (Channa amphibeus), a snakehead species last seen in 1933, later rediscovered in 2025.
  • Borneo shark (Carcharhinus borneensis), known from only five specimens collected before 1937, rediscovered in Sabah and Sarawak in 2004.
  • Dumbéa River pipefish (Microphis cruentus), described in 1981 from individuals captured in 1944, not seen until photos of the species were posted to iNaturalist in 2020.
  • Estuarine pipefish (Syngnathus watermeyeri), declared extinct in 1994, rediscovered in 2006 in a place it had not been reported in for over four decades.
  • Flapnose houndshark (Scylliogaleus quecketti), not seen by biologists since 1902, one was captured in 2020 on the show Extinct or Alive.
  • Ganges shark (Glyphis gangeticus), the world's sole freshwater shark found in the Ganges River and Brahmaputra River in India and Bangladesh; previously only known from three museum specimens caught in the early 19th century, but was rediscovered at a fish market in Mumbai in February 2016.
  • Giant salmon carp (Aaptosyax grypus), a carp species feared extinct in 2004, rediscovered in 2022.
  • Giant featherback (Chitala lopis), declared extinct in 2020, rediscovered at the type locality in 2023.
  • Haplochromis microdon, a cichlid species endemic to Lake Victoria, last seen in 1985, rediscovered when two males were found in 2023 and 2024.
  • Mesopotamian barbel (Luciobarbus subquincunciatus), a barbel species last seen in 2012, later rediscovered in 2024.
  • Miller Lake lamprey (Entosphenus minimus), a lamprey species endemic to the U.S. state of Oregon thought to be extinct after eradication efforts in 1958, until it was rediscovered in 1992.
  • Ornate sleeper-ray (Electrolux addisoni), first recorded in 1984 but was not described until 2007.
  • Sailback houndshark (Gogolia filewoodi), a species of houndshark, in the family Triakidae known from a single specimen collected in 1970 in Astrolabe Bay of Papua New Guinea, rediscovered in 2020.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Shortnose cisco (Coregonus reighardi), a whitefish species last seen in 1985, was rediscovered in 2024 in Lake Superior, where it is not previously known to have lived.
  • Smoothtooth blacktip shark (Carcharhinus leiodon), a species of requiem shark, in the family Carcharhinidae; known only from a specimen caught in 1902, the shark was rediscovered at a fish market in 2008.
  • Speartooth shark (Glyphis glyphis), discovered in 1839, not seen again until 1982.
  • Whitetip weasel shark (Paragaleus leucolomatus), purportively rediscovered in 2020.

Amphibians

File:Atelopus nahumae.jpg
Atelopus nahumae

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  • Foothill robber frog (Eleutherodactylus semipalmatus), not reported since 1985 and thought to be extinct, rediscovered in 2011.
  • Guajira stubfoot toad (Atelopus carrikeri), last seen in 1994, rediscovered 2008.
  • Guttman's Stream frog (Pulchrana guttmani), feared to be extinct for 27 years until its rediscovery in 2020.
  • Hula painted frog (Discoglossus nigriventer), the only living member of the genus Latonia; thought to be extinct in the 1950s, until it was rediscovered in 2011.
  • Jackson's climbing salamander (Bolitoglossa jacksoni), only recorded from mid-1970s in Guatemala, rediscovered in a 2017 expedition.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Mammals

File:GilbertsPotoroo.JPG
Gilbert's potoroo
  • Abyssinian genet (Genetta abyssinica), a genet species endemic to Abyssinia, last seen in the 1950s until it was rediscovered in 2016
  • Attenborough's long-beaked echidna (Zaglossus attenboroughi), echidna species found in Cyclops Mountains of Papua New Guinea; formerly last seen in 1962 and believed to be possibly extinct, until it was recorded again in November 2023.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
  • Bangka Slow Loris (Nycticebus bancanus), last seen in 1937 in Borneo, rediscovered in 2023.
  • Bavarian pine vole (Microtus bavaricus), is a vole in the family Cricetidae; believed extinct in the 1960s, until it was rediscovered in 2000.
  • Black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes), a North American species presumed extinct in 1979 until it was rediscovered in 1981. A captive breeding program of the discovered ferrets successfully reintroduced the species into the wild.
  • Black lion tamarin (Leontopithecus chrysopygus), last seen in 1905, rediscovered in 1970.
  • Brazilian arboreal mouse (Rhagomys rufescens), a South American rodent species of the family Cricetidae; first described in 1886, was believed to be extinct for over one hundred years.
  • Brazilian three-banded armadillo (Tolypeutes tricinctus), last seen in 1973, rediscovered in 1993.
  • Brown hairy dwarf porcupine (Coendou vestitus), a South American porcupine species; last recorded in 1925, until its rediscovery in 1989.
  • Bouvier's red colobus (Piliocolobus bouvieri), a species of colobus monkey rediscovered in 2015.
  • Bridled nail-tail wallaby (Onychogalea fraenata), a vulnerable species of macropod; thought to be extinct since the last confirmed sighting in 1937, but rediscovered in 1973.
  • Caspian horse (Equus ferus caballus), previously only known from remains dating back to 3400 BC and Persian art, rediscovered in 1965.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Tammar wallaby (Notamacropus eugenii), the mainland Australian subspecies was presumed extinct from 1925 until genetically matched with invasive wallabies in New Zealand in 1998.
  • Vanzolini's bald-faced saki (Pithecia vanzolinii), first seen in 1937, the species wasn't seen again until it was rediscovered in 2017.
  • Van Zyl's golden mole (Cryptochloris zyli), discovered in 1938, rediscovered in 2003.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Vietnam mouse-deer (Tragulus versicolor), last known from a specimen acquired from hunters in 1990, not seen again for nearly 30 years until multiple individuals were sighted with camera-trap photographs in a 2019 survey of prospective habitat.
  • Wondiwoi tree-kangaroo (Dendrolagus mayri), known from a single specimen from 1928, rediscovered in 2018.
  • Woolly flying squirrel (Eupetaurus cinereus), known only from pelts collected in Pakistan in the late 19th century, until live specimens were collected in the 1990s.
  • Wimmer's shrew (Crocidura wimmeri), believed extinct since 1976, but rediscovered in 2013 in Côte d'Ivoire.
  • Yellow-tailed woolly monkey (Lagothrix flavicauda), first described from furs in 1812, live specimens not discovered until 1926.

Reptiles

File:Heosemys-depressa.jpg
Arakan forest turtle

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  • Gray's monitor (Varanus olivaceus), described in 1845, and not seen again by scientists for 130 years.
  • Haensch's whorltail iguana (Stenocercus haenschi), last seen in 1899, but rediscovered in 2021.
  • Horned anole (Anolis proboscis), first seen in 1953 and described in 1956, it was thought to have gone extinct until its rediscovery in 2004.
  • La Gomera giant lizard (Gallotia bravoana), rediscovered in 1999.
  • La Palma giant lizard (Gallotia auaritae), thought to have been extinct since 1500, but rediscovered in 2007.
  • Long-toed forest skink (Sphenomorphus anomalopus), thought to be extinct after 1915, rediscovered in 2025.
  • Lyon's snake-eyed skink (Austroablepharus barrylyoni), thought to have been extinct since 1981, but rediscovered in 2023.
  • New Caledonian crested gecko (Correlophus ciliatus) rediscovered in 1994.<ref name="devosjoli">Template:Cite book</ref>
  • New Ireland monitor (Varanus douarrha), described in 1830, feared extinct until rediscovery in 2017
  • Peter's ameiva (Holcosus orcesi), last seen in 1959, but rediscovered in 2021.
  • Rio Apaporis caiman (Caiman crocodilus apaporiensis), believed to have become extinct by 1981, when the last known specimen died in a zoo. However, a specimen was captured in an expedition by Colombian conservation biologist Sergio Balaguera-Reina in 2018.
  • Saint Lucia Racer (Erythrolamprus ornatus), rediscovered in 1973 after not being seen for 37 years.
  • Short-nosed sea snake (Aipysurus apraefrontalis), rediscovered in 2015, after parting with their original habitat of the Ashmore and Cartier Islands for unknown reasons.
  • Southern river terrapin (Batagur affinis), thought to have disappeared from Cambodia until it was rediscovered in 2001.
  • Terror skink (Phoboscincus bocourti), a 50-cm-long lizard, was previously known from a single specimen captured around 1870 and was long presumed extinct. In 2003, on a tiny islet, it was rediscovered.
  • Voeltzkow's chameleon (Furcifer voeltzkowi), rediscovered in 2018, having last been seen in 1893.
  • Victorian grassland bearded dragon (Tympanocryptis pinguicolla), feared extinct since 1969, rediscovered in 2023.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Birds

File:Otidiphaps nobilis insularis.jpg
Black-naped pheasant pigeon, also known as Auwo
  • Anambra waxbill (Estrilda poliopareia), last seen in 1987, rediscovered in 2002.
  • Anjouan sparrowhawk (Tachyspiza francesiae pusillus), thought to be extinct by 1965 until it was rediscovered in 2005.
  • Antioquia brushfinch (Atlapetes blancae), collected in the 20th century, rediscovered in 2018.
  • Azores bullfinch (Pyrrhula murina), thought to be extinct from 1932 to 1967.
  • Bahia tapaculo (Eleoscytalopus psychopompus), known from only three specimens in 1990s, found again in 2010s.
  • Banggai crow (Corvus unicolor), not recorded since 1884/1885, confirmed with a photograph in 2008.
  • Beck's petrel (Pseudobulweria beckii), not seen between 1929 and 2007.
  • Belem curassow (Crax fasciolata pinima), last seen in 1978, rediscovered in 2017 in the Gurupi Biological Reserve of Brazil.
  • Berlepsch's parotia (Parotia berlepschi), known only from four specimen 1985, rediscovered in 2005.
  • Bermuda petrel or "cahow" (Pterodroma cahow), thought extinct since 1620 until 18 nesting pairs were found in 1951 on an uninhabited rock outcropping in Bermuda. Bermudian David B. Wingate has devoted his life to bringing the birds back, and in the 2011—12 breeding season they passed 100-pairs.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
  • Bismarck Kingfisher (Ceyx websteri), last seen in 2012, rediscovered in Papua New Guinea's Bismarck Archipelago in 2025<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Cebu flowerpecker (Dicaeum quadricolor), Feared to have become extinct early in the 20th century, it was rediscovered in 1992 in a small patch of limestone forest in the Central Cebu Protected Landscape.
  • Chinese crested tern (Thalasseus bernsteini), feared extinct in the mid-late 20th century for over 6 decades until a small breeding colony was found in 2000.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Cone-billed tanager (Conothraupis mesoleuca), feared extinct after no sightings after 1983, but rediscovered in a gallery forest in Emas National Park in 2003.
  • Crow honeyeater (Gymnomyza aubryana), rediscovered in 2011.
  • Cuban kite (Chondrohierax wilsonii), confirmed with a photograph in 2009.
  • Dusky starfrontlet (Coeligena orina), not seen until the rediscovery in 2004.
  • Dusky tetraka (Crossleyia tenebrosa), last documented sighting was in 1999, rediscovered in 2022.
  • Edwards's pheasant (Lophura edwardii), a Vietnamese pheasant presumed extinct from 1928 until it was rediscovered in 1998.
  • Fiji petrel (Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi), first rediscovered on land in 1983, and at sea in 2009.
  • Flores scops owl (Otus alfredi), last seen in 1896, rediscovered in 1994.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Forest owlet (Heteroglaux blewitti), assumed extinct in the 19th century, but rediscovered in central India in 1997.
  • Giant ibis (Thaumatibis gigantea), last seen in 1962 and feared extinct soon after, rediscovered in 1993.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Gilliard's Honeyeater (Vosea whitemanensis), first discovered in 1958, seen again in 1979, only to disappear again until 1999, not seen again until 2023.
  • Golden-fronted bowerbird (Amblyornis flavifrons), Originally described in 1895 based on trade skins, remained a mystery for nearly a hundred years, until 31 January 1981 when the American ornithologist Jared Diamond discovered the home ground at the Foja Mountains in the Papua province of Indonesia. Photographed in December 2005.
  • Green broadbill (Calyptomena viridis), it was declared extinct since 1941 but it was rediscovered on June 27, 2021.
  • Grey-winged cotinga (Lipaugus conditus), last seen in 1942, rediscovered in 1980.
  • Guadalcanal moustached kingfisher (Actenoides bougainvillei excelsus), known from three females collected between 1920-1953, until a male a captured in 2015.
  • Gurney's pitta (Hydrornis gurneyi), first described in 1875, rediscovered in 1986.
  • Jambandu indigobird (Vidua raricola), no sighting of the species after 2008 raised concerns of the species extinction, until it was photographed in Sierra Leone in 2021.
  • Javan blue-banded kingfisher (Alcedo euryzona), not seen since 1937 raised concerns of the species extinction, until it was rediscovered in 2009.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Jerdon's courser (Rhinoptilus bitorquatus), a wader from India, assumed extinct until 1986.
  • Kaempfer's woodpecker (Celeus obrieni), a Brazilian woodpecker feared extinct after no specimen had been found since its discovery in 1926. Rediscovered in 2006.
  • Kangean tit-babbler (Mixornis prillwitzi), last documented in 2010, rediscovered in 2023.
  • Large-billed reed-warbler (Acrocephalus orinus), a warbler rediscovered in Thailand in 2006, previous known only from a specimen collected in India in 1867.
  • Long-billed bush warbler (Locustella major), last documented in Kashmir in 1977, rediscovered in 2022.
  • Long-legged warbler (Trichocichla rufa), first collected in 1890 and four specimens were collected between then and 1894, after which the species was not seen again until 1974.
  • Long-whiskered owlet (Xenoglaux loweryi), described from specimens collected in 1976, rediscovered in 2002 by audio recordings, then seen in the wild for the first time in 2007.
  • Madagascar serpent eagle (Eutriorchis astur), rediscovered in 1993, sixty years since the previous sighting.
  • Madagascar pochard (Aythya innotata), thought extinct since 1991 until a small group were spotted in 2006.
  • Magdalena tinamou (Crypturellus erythropus saltuarius), no confirmed sightings after 1943, though locals reported the species until the 1990's, rediscovered in 2023.
  • Magenta petrel (Pterodroma magentae), last seen in 1867 and was feared to be extinct, until its rediscovery in 1978.
  • Manipur bush quail (Perdicula manipurensis), last seen in 1932, rediscovered in 2006 in Assam.
  • Manus dwarf kingfisher (Ceyx dispar), no records of the species from 2002 until 2022.
  • Mayr's honeyeater (Ptiloprora mayri), last seen in 2008, rediscovered in June of 2023 when a pair was spotted in Cyclops Mountains.
  • Mussau triller (Lalage conjuncta), last documented in 1979, rediscovered in 2024 and was photographed for the first time.
  • Myanmar Jerdon's babbler (Chrysomma altirostre altirostre), last seen in 1941, rediscovered in 2015.
  • New Britain goshawk (Tachyspiza princeps), last documented in 1969, until it was photographed in 2024.
  • New Britain thrush (Zoothera talaseae), last documented in 1999, rediscovered in 2024 when a single bird tripped a camera trap.
  • New Zealand storm-petrel (Oceanites maorianus), believed extinct from 1850 but sighted again in 2003.
  • Night parrot (Pezoporus occidentalis), extremely rare Australian bird presumed extinct from the 1880s until 1990.
  • Noisy scrub-bird (Atrichornis clamosus), presumed extinct when searched unsuccessfully at Ellensbrook in 1920, rediscovered after 75 years.
  • Orange-necked partridge (Arborophila davidi), described and collected once in 1927, rediscovered in 1991 in Cát Tiên National Park.
  • Omani owl (Strix butleri), described and last seen in 1873, rediscovered in 2015.
  • Peruvian solitaire (Cichlopsis leucogenys peruviana), no documented records after 2013 until its rediscovery in 2024.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Pohnpei starling (Aplonis pelzelni), last seen in 1956 when ornithologist Joe T. Marshall shot two specimens on Pohnpei, rediscovered in 1995 when a female was shot during a herpetological expedition.
  • Red Owl (Tyto soumagnei), last seen in 1876, until its rediscovery by the World Wide Fund for Nature in 1993.
  • Rossel cicadabird (Edolisoma rostratum), last seen in 1898, rediscovered in 2014.
  • Rufous-breasted blue flycatcher (Cyornis camarinensis), rediscovered in 2025 after being feared extinct for 17 years. It is considered one of Philippines least documented birds.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Rufous-fronted antthrush (Formicarius rufifrons), known from a few specimens collected in 1955 and later described in 1957, rediscovered in 1983.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Rusty thicketbird (Cincloramphus rubiginosus), last seen in 2009, later rediscovered in 2023.
  • Sangihe scops owl (Otus collari), last seen in 1867, rediscovered in 1985.
  • Santa Marta sabrewing (Campylopterus phainopeplus), last seen in 1946, later rediscovered in 2010 before going missing for another 12 years and was rediscovered in 2022.
  • Salvadori's pheasant (Lophura inornata), last seen in 1950, rediscovered in 1980.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • São Tomé fiscal (Lanius newtoni), . There were records of sightings in 1888 and again in 1928. Another individual was sighted in 1990.
  • São Tomé grosbeak (Neospiza concolor), known only from three nineteenth-century specimens. It was rediscovered in 1991.
  • São Tomé ibis (Bostrychia bocagei), last recorded in 1928, rediscovered in 1990.
  • Satanic nightjar (Eurostopodus diabolicus), discovered in 1931, only known from a few unconfirmed reports until it was identified in 1996 in Lore Lindu National Park.
  • Selva cacique (Cacicus koepckeae), last seen in 1965, rediscovered in 1998.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Short-tailed albatross (Phoebastria albatrus), assumed to be extinct and research became impossible with the outbreak of World War II. Rediscovered in 1949.
  • Sillem's rosefinch (Carpodacus sillemi), last seen in 1929, photographed in 2012.
  • Silvery pigeon (Columba argentina), confirmed photographically in 2008.
  • Sira barbet (Capito fitzpatricki), formally described in 2012, rediscovered in 2024.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Takahē (Porphyrio hochstetteri), assumed extinct in 1898 but found again in 1948.
  • Togo yellow-billed barbet (Trachylaemus goffinii togoensis), no documented sightings between 2011 and 2022.
  • Unicolored thrush (Turdus haplochrous), no sightings between 2013 and 2024.
  • Urich's tyrannulet (Phyllomyias urichi), feared extinct in the 1940s until it was rediscovered in 2005, disappeared again until it was rediscovered again in 2021.
  • Vanuatu petrel (Pterodroma occulta), known from six specimens caught off of Merelava, Vanuatu, rediscovered in 1983 from a single bird washed ashore in New South Wales, Australia.
  • Vilcabamba Inca (Coeligena torquata eisenmanni ), last seen in 1967, rediscovered in 2024.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Wetar ground dove (Pampusana hoedtii), last seen in 1900, rediscovered in 2008.
  • White-collared kite (Leptodon forbesi), last seen in 1880, rediscovered in 1987.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • White-headed barbet (Lybius leucocephalus), last recorded in 1971, rediscovered in 2017.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • White-winged guan (Penelope albipennis), known from three specimens collected in 1876 and 1877. It was not positively seen again until 1977.
  • White-winged potoo (Nyctibius leucopterus), last seen in 1817, rediscovered in 1985.
  • White-tailed tityra (Tityra leucura), feared extinct after there were no sightings of the species after 1829, rediscovered almost 200 years later in 2006 near the Madeira River.
  • Yellow-crested helmetshrike (Ognorhynchus icterotis), considered a lost species after not being seen since 2008, rediscovered in 2023 in the Itombwe Mountains.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Zapata rail (Cyanolimnas cerverai), easily found in the Santo Tomás area until 1931, but there were no further records until the 1970s.
  • Zebra woodpecker (Meiglyptes tristis), last seen in 1880, rediscovered in 2010.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Molluscs

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  • Teardrop elimia (Elimia lachryma), last seen in the 1950's or 1960's but rediscovered in 2005.

Discussions

Because its definition is ambiguous, some, like R. B. Rickards and A. J. Wright, reject the very concept of the Lazarus taxon. Rickards and Wright have questioned the usefulness of the concept, writing in "Lazarus taxa, refugia and relict faunas: evidence from graptolites" that anyone could argue that any gap in the fossil record could potentially be considered a Lazarus effect because the duration required for the Lazarus effect is not defined.<ref name="RICKARDS 1–4">Template:Cite journal</ref> They have argued that accurate plotting of biodiversity changes and species abundance through time, coupled with an appraisal of their palaeobiogeography, is more important than using this title to categorize species.<ref name="RICKARDS 1–4"/>

Communication and education

The lack of public engagement around environmental issues has led conservationists to attempt newer communication strategies. One of them is the focus on positive messages, of which Lazarus species are an important part.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> One conservation outreach project that has focused exclusively on species rediscoveries is the Lost & Found project which aims to tell the stories of species once thought extinct but that were subsequently rediscovered.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

See also

References

Template:Reflist

Template:Extinction

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