Extant taxon

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In biology, extant is a term commonly used to refer to taxa, species, genera or families that are still in existence (living). For example, Brandt's Cormorant is an extant species, while the Spectacled Cormorant is an extinct species. Likewise, of the group of molluscs known as the cephalopods, there are approximately 600 extant species and 7500 extinct species (Barnes, 1987)^{[citation needed]}.