Changes

Among those who believe in the existence of the [[Loch Ness Monster]], one popular theory is that it is a living [[plesiosaur]].<ref>"New Quest Is Haunted By 'Nessie'", ''The New York Times,'' July 14, 1992, p. C4: "Believers say it resembles a plesiosaur and was trapped in Loch Ness during the Ice Age 12,000 years ago. The plesiosaurs were marine reptiles who are thought to have lived 65 million to 200 million years ago."</ref>

Among those who believe in the existence of the [[Loch Ness Monster]], one popular theory is that it is a living [[plesiosaur]].<ref>"New Quest Is Haunted By 'Nessie'", ''The New York Times,'' July 14, 1992, p. C4: "Believers say it resembles a plesiosaur and was trapped in Loch Ness during the Ice Age 12,000 years ago. The plesiosaurs were marine reptiles who are thought to have lived 65 million to 200 million years ago."</ref>

It must be noted however that two living things that belong to orders which were believed to have been extinct since the time of the dinosaurs have been found, these being the [[coelacanth]] and the [[Wollemi pine]], although in the case of the coelacanth they are physically different to the fossilised remains to the degree that they are played in a new family<ref>Sulawesi Coelacanth. <i>University Of California, Berkeley</i>[http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/vertebrates/coelacanth/coelacanths.html]</ref>.

It must be noted however that living specimens of orders of animals that were believed to have been extinct for millions of years have been found before, such as the Diatomyidae Squirrel <ref>[[Diatomyidae]] Squirrel [http://news.softpedia.com/news/They-Thought-It-Went-Extinct-11-Million-Years-Ago-19557.shtml]</ref>, the [[Wollemi Pine]] <ref>Wollemi Pine <i>Biotechnology Australia</i> [http://www.biotechnologyonline.gov.au/enviro/wollemi.cfm]</ref> and the [[Coelacanth]] <ref>Sulawesi Coelacanth. <i>University Of California, Berkeley</i>[http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/vertebrates/coelacanth/coelacanths.html]</ref> <ref>More on the Coelacanth <i>marinebio.org</i>[http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=54]</ref>

Relatives of the coelacanths are thought to have had rudimentary limbs and to be the ancestor of land creatures. Biologists see the continued existance of a pleisiomorphic order as merely a minor adjustment to the story of natural history.  

Relatives of the coelacanths are thought to have had rudimentary limbs and to be the ancestor of land creatures.

 

As with these cases, the continued existance of a pleisiomorphic order, would be seen by biologists as merely a minor adjustment to the scientific consensus on natural history.

Talk.Origins argues<ref>[http://www.talkorigins.org/indexcc/CH/CH712.html Claim CH712], ''TalkOrigins.org''</ref> that the inclusion of dinosaurs within many cultures is based on the existence of fossils. Ancient people, unaware that the ancient fossils uncovered by erosion were of extinct animals, attributed the bones to living, magical creatures. This would explain the importance of dragons in Chinese culture - there are a large number of dinosaur (as well as non-dinosaur) fossils to be found in China.  CreationWiki's response<ref>[http://creationwiki.org/Dragons_were_dinosaurs Dragons were dinosaurs] (rebuttal of Talk.Origins' claim CH712)</ref> is that the fossils reminded people of the legends, not that the fossils inspired the legends.

Talk.Origins argues<ref>[http://www.talkorigins.org/indexcc/CH/CH712.html Claim CH712], ''TalkOrigins.org''</ref> that the inclusion of dinosaurs within many cultures is based on the existence of fossils. Ancient people, unaware that the ancient fossils uncovered by erosion were of extinct animals, attributed the bones to living, magical creatures. This would explain the importance of dragons in Chinese culture - there are a large number of dinosaur (as well as non-dinosaur) fossils to be found in China.  CreationWiki's response<ref>[http://creationwiki.org/Dragons_were_dinosaurs Dragons were dinosaurs] (rebuttal of Talk.Origins' claim CH712)</ref> is that the fossils reminded people of the legends, not that the fossils inspired the legends.