also: ざんぞんしゅ
noun
relict species
Biology term for a species that survives in a limited area while its relatives have become extinct elsewhere; often used in ecological or evolutionary contexts.
See also: 遺存種
この地域には氷河期の残存種がいくつか生息している。
Several relict species from the ice age inhabit this region.
That plant is considered an ancient relict species.
Standard kanji form; the reading ざんそんしゅ is the most common.
Alternate reading with rendaku; less common but still encountered.
Compound of 残存 (zanson, 'survival, remaining') and 種 (shu, 'species'). The reading ざんぞんしゅ is a variant with rendaku on the second character.