The most ancient animals on earth. The most ancient animals on earth The most terrible prehistoric predators

We often hear that more and more animal species are on the verge of extinction, and their extinction is only a matter of time. The inexorable expansion of areas of human activity, such as hunting, destruction natural environment habitats, climate change and other factors are contributing to species extinction rates that are 1,000 times greater than natural rates. Even though species extinction is a tragedy, it can sometimes be beneficial. certain type... ours! From a 12-meter mega-snake to giraffe-sized flying creatures, today we tell you about twenty-five stunning extinct creatures that, fortunately, no longer exist.

25. Pelagornis sandersi

With a wingspan estimated to exceed 7 meters, Pelargonis Sandersi appears to be the largest flying bird ever discovered. It is quite possible that the bird could only fly by jumping from the rocks and flying most of its time over the ocean, where it relied on wind currents bouncing off the ocean to keep it aloft. Although it is considered the largest of the flying birds, compared to pterosaurs such as Quetzalcoatlus with a wingspan of almost 12 meters, it was quite modest in size.

24. Euphoberia (giant centipede)


Ephoberia, which is similar to modern centipedes in shape and behavior, had a striking difference - its length was almost a full meter. Scientists are not entirely sure what exactly it ate, but we do know that some modern centipedes feed on birds, snakes and bats. If a 25-centimeter centipede eats birds, imagine what a centipede almost 1 meter long could eat.

23. Gigantopithecus


Gigantopithecus lived in what is now Asia from 9 million to 100,000 years ago. They were the largest primates on Earth. Their height was 3 meters, and they weighed up to 550 kilograms. These creatures walked on four legs, like modern gorillas or chimpanzees, but there are also those scientists who are of the opinion that they walked on two legs, like humans. The features of their teeth and jaws suggest that these animals were adapted to chewing hard, fibrous foods, which they cut, crushed and chewed.

22. Andrewsarchus


Andrewsarchus was a giant carnivorous mammal that lived during the Eocene era 45 - 36 million years ago. Based on the skull and several bones found, paleontologists estimate the predator could have weighed up to 1,800 kilograms, possibly making it the largest land-based carnivorous mammal ever known. However, the behavioral habits of this creature are unclear and according to some theories, Andrewsarchus could have been an omnivore or a scavenger.

21. Pulmonoscorpius


Literally translated, Pulmonoscorpius means “breathing scorpion.” It's extinct giant look scorpion, which lived on Earth during the Visean era of the Carboniferous period (approximately 345 - 330 million years ago). Based on fossils found in Scotland, it is believed that the length of this species was approximately 70 centimeters. It was a terrestrial animal that most likely fed on small arthropods and tetrapods.

20. Megalania


Megalania, endemic to southern Australia, became extinct as recently as approximately 30,000 years ago, meaning that the first Aboriginal people to settle Australia may well have encountered it. Scientific estimates regarding the size of this lizard vary greatly, but its length may have reached approximately 7.5 meters, making it the largest large lizard from ever existing.

19. Helicoprion


Helicoprion, one of the longest-living prehistoric creatures (310 – 250 million years ago), is a shark-like fish from the genus subclass that was distinguished by its spiral-shaped clusters of teeth called dental helices. The length of Helicoprion could reach up to 4 meters, but the body length of its closest living relative, the chimera, reaches only 1.5 meters.

18. Entelodon


Unlike its modern relatives, Entelodon was a pig-like mammal with a wild appetite for meat. Perhaps the most monstrous-looking of all mammals, Entelodon walked on four legs and was almost as tall as a human. Some scientists believe that entelodons were cannibals. And if they could even eat their relatives, then they would definitely eat you.

17. Anomalocaris


Anomalocaris (meaning "abnormal shrimp"), which lived in almost all seas of the Cambrian period, was a species of marine animal related to ancient arthropods. Scientific research suggest that it was a predator that fed on sea creatures with hard shells, as well as trilobites. They were particularly notable for their eyes, which were equipped with 30,000 lenses and were considered the most advanced eyes of any species of the period.

16. Meganeura


Meganeura is a genus of extinct insects from the Carboniferous period that resemble and are related to modern dragonflies. With a wingspan of up to 66 centimeters, it is one of the largest known flying insects that has ever lived on Earth. Meganeura was a predator and its diet consisted mainly of other insects and small amphibians.

15. Attercopus


Attercopus was a species of spider-like animal that possessed a tail like a scorpion. For a long period of time, Attercopus was considered the prehistoric ancestor of modern spiders, but scientists who discovered the fossils found more specimens recently and rethought their original conclusion. Scientists find it unlikely that Attercopus spun webs, but think it is quite possible that it used silk to wrap its eggs, construct threads for locomotion, or to line the walls of its burrows.

14. Deinosuchus


Deinosuchus is an extinct species related to modern crocodiles and alligators that lived on Earth between 80 and 73 million years ago. Even though he was much larger than any of the modern species, in general he looked the same. The body length of Deinosuchus was 12 meters. He had large sharp teeth that could kill and eat sea ​​turtles, fish and even large dinosaurs.

13. Dunkleosteus


Dunkleosteus, which lived approximately 380–360 million years ago during the Late Devonian period, was a large carnivorous fish. Thanks to its terrifying size, reaching up to 10 meters and weighing almost 4 tons, it was the apex predator of its time. The fish had very thick and hard scales, which made it a rather slow but very powerful swimmer.

12. Spinosaurus


Spinosaurus, which was larger than Tyrannosaurus rex, is the largest carnivorous dinosaur that ever lived. The length of his body was 18 meters and he weighed up to 10 tons. Spinosaurus ate tons of fish, turtles, and even other dinosaurs. If this horror lived in modern world, then we probably wouldn’t be there.

11. Smilodon


Smilodon, endemic to the Americas, roamed the earth during the Pleistocene era (2.5 million to 10,000 years ago). He is the best known example of a saber-toothed tiger. It was a strongly built predator with particularly well-developed forelimbs and exceptionally long and sharp upper fangs. The largest species could weigh up to 408 kilograms.

10. Quetzalcoatlus


With an incredible wingspan of 12 meters, this giant pterosaur was the largest creature to ever fly on Earth, including modern birds. However, calculating the size and mass of this creature is very problematic, since no living creature is similar in size or body structure, and as a result, published results vary greatly. One distinguishing characteristic that was observed in all specimens found was an unusually long, rigid neck.

9. Hallucigenia


The name hallucination comes from the idea that these creatures are extremely strange and have a fairy-tale appearance, as in a hallucination. The worm-like creature had a body length that varied from 0.5 to 3 centimeters and a head that lacked sensory organs such as eyes and nose. Instead, Hallucigenia had seven claw-tipped tentacles on each side of its body and three pairs of tentacles behind them. To say that this creature was strange is to say nothing.

8. Arthropleura


Arthropleura lived on Earth during the Late Carboniferous period (340 - 280 million years ago) and was endemic to what is now North America and Scotland. It was the largest known terrestrial invertebrate species. Despite its enormous length of up to 2.7 meters and previous conclusions, Arthropleura was not a predator, it was a herbivore that fed on rotting forest plants.

7. Short-faced bear


The short-faced bear is an extinct member of the bear family that lived in North America during the late Pleistocene until 11,000 years ago, making it one of the most recently extinct creatures on the list. However, in size it was truly prehistoric. Standing on its hind legs, it reached a height of 3.6 meters, and if it extended its front legs upward, it could reach 4.2 meters. According to scientists, the short-faced bear weighed more than 1,360 kilograms.

6. Megalodon


Megalodon, whose name translates to "big tooth", is an extinct species giant shark, which lived from 28 to 1.5 million years ago. With its incredible length of 18 meters, it is considered one of the largest and most powerful predators that has ever lived on Earth. Megalodon lived all over the world and looked like a much larger and more terrifying version of the modern white shark.

5. Titanoboa


Titanoboa, which lived approximately 60–58 million years ago during the Paleocene epoch, is the largest, longest and heavy snake ever discovered. Scientists believe that the largest individuals could reach a length of up to 13 meters and weigh approximately 1133 kilograms. Her diet usually consisted of giant crocodiles and turtles, which shared her territory in modern-day South America.

4. Phorusrhacid


These prehistoric creatures, informally known as "terror birds", are an extinct species of large carnivorous birds that were the largest species of apex predator in South America during the Cenozoic era, 62–2 million years ago. These are the largest flightless birds that have ever lived on Earth. The terrifying birds reached 3 meters in height, weighed half a ton and could supposedly run as fast as a cheetah.

3. Cameroceras


Cameroceras, which lived on our planet in the Ordovician period 470 - 440 million years ago, was the giant ancient ancestor of modern cephalopods and octopuses. The most distinctive part of this mollusk was its huge cone-shaped shell and tentacles, which it used to catch fish and other sea ​​creatures. Estimates of the size of this shell vary greatly, from 6 to 12 meters.

2. Carbonemys


Carbonemis is an extinct species giant turtle, which lived on Earth approximately 60 million years ago. This means they survived the mass extinction that killed off most dinosaurs. Fossil remains that were found in Colombia suggest that the length of the turtle's shell was almost 180 centimeters. The turtle was a carnivore with huge jaws that were strong enough to eat large animals such as crocodiles.

1. Jaekelopterus


At an estimated size of 2.5 meters, Jaekelopterus is one of the two largest arthropods ever found. Although sometimes called the "sea scorpion", it was actually more of a giant lobster, living in freshwater lakes and rivers in what is today Western Europe. This terrifying creature lived on Earth approximately 390 million years ago, earlier than most dinosaurs.

Ancient animals of the Earth are animals that became extinct for some natural reasons before the appearance of humans. They are sometimes called prehistoric animals. Some of them continued to exist even after the advent of humanity and became extinct through our fault.

The dodo or dodo is a large flightless bird. Its modern relatives are birds of the order Pigeonidae. At one time, dodos densely populated the island of Mauritius, ate plant foods, and the female dodo laid a single egg directly on the ground. The dodo disappeared only in the 17th century due to the fault of people and the animals they brought to the island.

The most famous ancient animals on Earth are mammoths. This species of elephant lived on our planet about 1.5 million years ago. Judging by the fossil remains, mammoths were larger than their modern relatives and their bodies were covered with wool. Mammoths ate exclusively plant foods and were desirable prey for primitive hunters. There is no consensus on why mammoths became extinct.

Smilodon, or the saber-toothed tiger, disappeared from the surface of our planet more than 2 million years ago. Smilodon was larger than modern tigers, and the long saber-shaped fangs on the upper jaw allowed it to hunt thick-skinned rhinoceroses and elephants.

The giant ground sloth Megatherium lived about 2 million years ago on the American continent. The length of his body was 6 meters. Megatherium fed on the shoots of young trees, bending them to the ground with long front paws equipped with curved claws.

Another large flightless bird of antiquity with strong three-meter hind limbs is the moa. Moa lived in New Zealand until the 17th century and were completely destroyed by people.

The bird apiornis, also not flying, weighed up to 450 kilograms, and its height reached 3 meters. According to assumptions, the eggs of these birds could weigh up to 10 kilograms. Back in the 19th century, apiornis could be seen in Madagascar, but due to deforestation tropical forests and merciless extermination today, these ancient birds have become completely extinct.

Chalicotherium is an ancient animal of the Earth with a horse's head and claws instead of hooves. Scientists attribute it to the order of equids. In attempts to reach high-lying plant food, Chalicotherium could reach a height of 5 meters on its powerful hind limbs.

An ancient animal of the Earth that is probably lucky to survive to this day is the marsupial wolf. The body length of this ancient mammal is up to 1 meter, plus the length of its half-meter tail. He lived in Australia, but by the time the continent was discovered by Europeans, it survived only on the island of Tasmania (sometimes the wolf is called Tasmanian). Since the beginning of the 20th century marsupial wolf No one saw him alive, but he is still listed in the Red Book.

And the most mysterious and numerous ancient animals of the Earth are dinosaurs. Their name is translated as “terrible lizards.” For 200 million years they almost everywhere inhabited the earth's land and mysteriously died 60 million years ago. The most likely reason for the extinction of dinosaurs is the collision of our planet with an asteroid, as a result of which the Earth's climate changed in a way that was detrimental to dinosaurs.

The modern world with its inhabitants is so familiar to humans that the events of a century ago are perceived as beautiful. fantastic story. However, the evidence found by scientists leads us to believe that prehistoric predators really existed.

Terrible predator: short-faced bear

Millions of years ago, the current places with built houses, highways, amusement parks were deserted and not people walked around them, but huge prehistoric predators, one of which was a short-faced bear of gigantic size. Its height when standing on two legs reached 4 meters, and its weight was about 500 kilograms. External resemblance existed with its modern brothers, but unlike them, the giant could easily reach the speed of a horse when running (about 50 km/h).

Like all prehistoric predators, the bear had incredible strength and could destroy almost any animal with one blow. Having powerful jaws, this monster was able to bite through even the strongest bones. When analyzing the found remains ancient giant it was found that he ate everything that moved: horses, bison and even mammoths. The daily food requirement was approximately 16 kilograms of meat; this is 2-3 times more than a lion needs. The search for food in such quantities was facilitated by enlarged nasal cavities, which made it possible to hear the smell of prey within a radius of 9 kilometers. Latest representatives short-faced bears, according to scientists, became extinct about 20 thousand years ago, and, most likely, this happened due to their inability to adapt to strong environmental changes.

Prehistoric Predators: American Lion

Prehistoric american lion- one of the most bloodthirsty predators on the planet. Unlike its modern descendants, it weighed almost half a ton. The body length of this animal was almost 4 meters. The habitat of the largest cat in history was North and South America.

Saber-toothed tiger

Also, such prehistoric predators as saber-toothed tigers, powerful weapon which had giant 20-centimeter fangs that stuck out menacingly even with their mouths closed. They were similar to dagger-shaped blades and resembled sabers (hence the name of the predator). Combined with enormous strength and lightning-fast reactions, these animals, which lived about 20 million years ago in Eurasia, North America, Africa, horrified their potential victims. A powerful body, short massive legs, terrifying fangs - an appearance that is best seen in pictures. The richest source of fossils of these animals is located in the heart of Los Angeles. It is here in prehistoric times there were tar lakes - deadly traps that killed thousands of animals. Covered on top with leaves that stuck to their surface, they deceived unwary herbivores and predators, absorbing them into a sticky quagmire.

Prehistoric Predators: Dog-Bear

Dogbears (aka amphicyonids) are active predators that were widespread in Turkey and Europe from 17 to 9 million years ago. These prehistoric predators got their name from the mixed features of a bear and a dog. appearance, so scientists hesitated for a long time which group to classify strange animals into. As a result, they were separated into a completely separate family. Dog-bears were stocky animals with short legs, a long body (about 3.5 meters), a huge head (the length of the skull was 83 cm), a one and a half meter tail and a weight of about 1 ton. Their approximate height was approximately 1.8 meters.

There is an opinion that the dog-bear led a semi-aquatic lifestyle and could live on sea ​​coasts. The predator’s skull was vaguely similar to that of a crocodile, and its powerful jaws could bite through the bones and shell of a turtle. Its diet was varied: from small animals to large animals. The bear-dog, of course, was a hunter, but most often he was satisfied with the role of a scavenger. He could calmly dine on a wounded but still living victim.

Deinosuchus - the largest crocodile on the planet

About 60 million years ago, the planet was inhabited by Deinosuchus (from Greek - “terrible crocodile”), which was about 12 meters long, 1.5 meters high, and weighed about 10 tons. The streamlined shape of the body provided it with high speed of movement in water and excellent maneuverability. On land, Deinosuchus became clumsy and earth's surface moved jerkily on thick curved legs.

Having a huge head (about 1.5 meters), massive wide jaws, large teeth designed for crushing, a back covered with armored bone plates and a thick tail, it fed on fish and large dinosaurs.

Haast's eagle - winged monster

Prehistoric birds of prey were also characterized by their impressive size. For example, the Haast eagle, which lived in New Zealand, weighed 16 kg and its wingspan was 3 meters. This predator was capable of reaching speeds of 60-80 km/h, which allowed it to successfully hunt flightless birds moa, weighing 10 times more and unable to defend against a sudden powerful impact force.

The predator was able to grab and hold prey in flight, and the latter could be an order of magnitude larger than it. According to the legends of New Zealanders, these monsters with a red crest on their heads even kidnapped small children and killed people. Nests of winged prehistoric predators have been found 2 kilometers above the ground. The extinction of eagles has caused destruction natural environment habitats and extinction moa birds, which became the subject of hunting by the settlers of New Zealand.

Prehistoric ground bird fororakos

Of the flightless winged birds of the prehistoric period, scientists are interested in the so-called terrorist bird (fororacos), which was the largest predator in South America and lived more than 23 million years ago. Her height varied from 1 to 3 meters, and her favorite food was small mammals, as well as horses. The predator killed prey in two ways: by lifting it into the air and hitting it on the ground, or by delivering precise blows with its massive beak to important and vulnerable parts of the body.

The beak and massive skull of a three-meter giant weighing about 300 kilograms made it stand out from the rest winged creatures. Its powerful legs allowed it to develop considerable speed when running, and its curved 46-centimeter beak was ideal for tearing apart the meat it had caught. In an instant, the predator swallowed the caught prey.

Megalodon - a huge shark

Millions of years ago, huge prehistoric predators also existed in the water element. Megalodon (“big tooth”) is a giant shark that had 5 rows of huge 20-centimeter teeth in the amount of about 300 pieces. The total length of this monster was about 20 meters, and its weight was supposedly 45 tons. What can we say about modern sharks feeding on seals if Megalodon hunted whales?

For many years, the teeth of this giant shark, found in rock formations, were mistaken for the remains of dragons. According to scientists, this animal became extinct due to oceanic hypothermia, falling sea levels and depletion of food sources.

One of the largest predators centuries ago was the mosasaurus. Its length was more than 15 meters, and its head was similar to a crocodile. Hundreds of razor-sharp teeth killed even the most protected opponents.

Prehistoric mammals are giant animals that lived on Earth millions of years ago and disappeared from our planet forever.

Giant sloths- a group of several different species of sloths, notable for their particularly large sizes. They arose in the Oligocene about 35 million years ago and lived on the American continents, reaching a weight of several tons and a height of 6 m. Unlike modern sloths, they lived not in trees, but on the ground. They were clumsy, slow animals with low, narrow skulls and very little brain matter. Despite his heavy weight, the animal stood on its hind legs and, leaning its forelimbs on the tree trunk, took out succulent leaves. Leaves were not the only food of these animals. They also ate cereals, and perhaps did not disdain carrion. People settled the American continent between 30 and 10 thousand years ago, and the last giant sloths disappeared from the continent about 10 thousand years ago. This suggests that these animals were hunted. They were probably easy prey, since like their modern relatives moved very slowly. Giant sloths lived from 35 million to 10 thousand years ago.

Megaloceros (lat. Megaloceros giganteus) or big-horned deer, appeared about 300 thousand years ago and died out at the end of the Ice Age. Inhabited Eurasia, from the British Isles to China, preferred open landscapes with rare woody vegetation. The big-horned deer was the size of a modern elk. The male's head was decorated with colossal horns, greatly expanded at the top in the shape of a spade with several branches, with a span of 200 to 400 cm, and weighing up to 40 kg. Scientists do not have a consensus on what led to the emergence of such huge and, apparently, inconvenient jewelry for the owner. It is likely that the luxurious horns of males, intended for tournament fights and attracting females, greatly interfered with Everyday life. Perhaps, when forests replaced the tundra-steppe and forest-steppe, it was the colossal horns that caused the extinction of the species. He could not live in the forests, because with such a “decoration” on his head it was impossible to walk through the forest.

Arsinotherium (lat. Arsinoitherium)- an ungulate that lived approximately 36-30 million years ago. It reached a length of 3.5 meters and was 1.75 m high at the withers. Outwardly, it resembled a modern rhinoceros, but retained all five toes on its front and hind legs. Its “special feature” were huge, massive horns, consisting not of keratin, but of a bone-like substance, and a pair of small outgrowths of the frontal bone. Remains of Arsinotherium are known from Lower Oligocene deposits northern Africa(Egypt). Arsinotherium lived 36-30 million years ago.

Coelodonta antiquitatis- fossil woolly rhinoceroses, adapted to life in the arid and cool conditions of the open landscapes of Eurasia. They existed from the late Pliocene to the early Holocene. They were large, relatively short-legged animals with a high nape and an elongated skull bearing two horns. The length of their massive body reached 3.2 - 4.3 m, height at the withers - 1.4 - 2 meters. A characteristic feature These animals had a well-developed woolly cover that protected them from low temperatures and cold winds. The low-set head with square lips made it possible to collect the main food - the vegetation of the steppe and tundra-steppe. From archaeological finds it follows that the woolly rhinoceros was hunted by Neanderthals about 70 thousand years ago. Celodonts Lived from 3 million to 70 thousand years ago.

Palorchestes (lat. Palorchestes azael)- a genus of marsupials that lived in Australia in the Miocene and became extinct in the Pleistocene about 40 thousand years ago, after humans arrived in Australia. Reached 1 meter at the withers. The animal's muzzle ended with a small proboscis, for which Palorchests are called marsupial tapirs, to which they are somewhat similar. In fact, palorchests are quite close relatives of koalas. The Palorchestes lived from 15 million to 40 thousand years ago.

Deinotherium giganteum- the largest land animals of the late Miocene - middle Pliocene. The body length of representatives of various species ranged from 3.5-7 meters, height at the withers reached 3-5 meters, and weight could reach 8-10 tons. Outwardly, they resembled modern elephants, but differed from them in proportions. Deinotherium lived from 20 to 2 million years ago.

Andrewsarchus (lat. Andrewsarchus), possibly the largest extinct terrestrial carnivorous mammal, lived in the Middle - Late Eocene era in Central Asia. Andrewsarchus is represented as a long-bodied, short-legged beast with a huge head. The length of the skull is 83 cm, the width of the zygomatic arches is 56 cm, but the dimensions can be much larger. According to modern reconstructions, if we assume relatively large head sizes and shorter leg lengths, then the body length could reach up to 3.5 meters (without the 1.5 meter tail), the height at the shoulders could be up to 1.6 meters. Weight could reach 1 ton. Andrewsarchus is a primitive ungulate, close to the ancestors of whales and artiodactyls. Andrewsarchus lived from 45 to 36 million years ago.

Amphicyonids (lat. Amphicyon major) or dog-bears became widespread in Europe and western Turkey. The proportions of the Amphicyonidae were a mixture of bear and dog features. His remains were found in Spain, France, Germany, Greece and Turkey. Average weight Amphicyonid males weighed 210 kg, and females 120 kg (almost the same as modern lions). Amphicyonides was active predator, and its teeth were well adapted for crunching bones. Amphicyonids lived from 16.9 to 9 million years ago.

Terrible Birds(sometimes called fororakosov), who lived 23 million years ago. They differed from their counterparts in their massive skull and beak. Their height reached 3 meters, weighed up to 300 kg and were formidable predators. Scientists created a three-dimensional model of the bird's skull and found that the bones of the head were strong and rigid in the vertical and longitudinal-transverse directions, but in the transverse direction the skull was quite fragile. This means that the fororacos would not be able to grapple with struggling prey. The only option is to beat the victim to death with vertical blows of the beak, as if with an ax. The only competitor to the terrible bird was most likely the marsupial saber-toothed tiger (Thylacosmilus). Scientists believe that these two predators were once the top the food chain. Thylacosmil was a stronger animal, but Paraphornis surpassed it in speed and agility. Fororakos lived 23 million years ago.

In the family hares (Leporidae), also had their giants. In 2005, a giant hare was described from the island of Menorca (Balearics, Spain), which received the name Giant Menorcan hare (lat. Nuralagus rex). The size of a dog, it could reach a weight of 14 kg. According to scientists, such a large size of the rabbit is due to the so-called island rule. According to this principle, large species, once on the islands, decrease over time, while small ones, on the contrary, increase. Nuralagus had relatively small eyes and ears, which did not allow him to see and hear well - he did not have to fear an attack, because. was not on the island large predators. In addition, scientists believe that due to reduced paws and rigidity of the spine, the “king of hares” lost the ability to jump and moved on land exclusively in small steps. The giant Minorcan hare lived from 7 to 5 million years ago.

Woolly Mammoth(lat. Mammuthus primigenius) appeared 300 thousand years ago in Siberia, from where it spread to North America and Europe. The mammoth was covered with coarse wool, up to 90 cm long. A layer of fat almost 10 cm thick served as additional thermal insulation. The summer coat was significantly shorter and less dense. They were most likely painted dark brown or black. With small ears and a short trunk compared to modern elephants, the woolly mammoth was well adapted to cold climates. Woolly mammoths were not as huge as is often assumed. Adult males reached a height of 2.8 to 4 m, which is not much larger than modern elephants. However, they were significantly more massive than elephants, weighing up to 8 tons. A noticeable difference from living species of proboscis was the strongly curved tusks, a special growth on the top of the skull, a high hump and a steeply sloping rear part of the back. The tusks found to this day reached a maximum length of 4.2 m and a weight of 84 kg. The woolly mammoth lived from 300 thousand to 3.7 thousand years ago.

Gigantopithecus (lat. Gigantopithecus)- extinct genus great apes, lived in the territory of modern India, China and Vietnam. According to experts, Gigantopithecus had a height of up to 3 meters and weighed from 300 to 550 kg, that is, they were the largest monkeys of all time. At the end of the Pleistocene, Gigantopithecus could coexist with humans species Homo erectus, which began to penetrate Asia from Africa. Fossil remains indicate that Gigantopithecus was the largest primate of all time. They were probably herbivores and walked on all fours, feeding mainly on bamboo, sometimes adding seasonal fruits to their food. However, there are theories that prove the omnivorous nature of these animals. Two species of this genus are known: Gigantopithecus bilaspurensis, which lived between 9 and 6 million years ago in China, and Gigantopithecus blacki, which lived in northern India at least 1 million years ago. Sometimes a third species, Gigantopithecus giganteus, is isolated. Although it is not completely known what exactly caused their extinction, most researchers believe that climate change and competition for food sources from other, more adaptable species - pandas and humans - were among the main reasons. Closest relative from now existing species is an orangutan, although some experts consider Gigantopithecus to be closer to gorillas. Gigantopithecus lived from 9 to 1 million years ago.

Some of the largest creatures that have ever inhabited this world lived millions of years ago. Below are ten of the biggest, baddest sea monsters that once roamed the oceans:

10. Shastasaurus

Ichthyosaurs were marine predators that looked like modern dolphins and could reach enormous sizes; they lived in Triassic about 200 million years ago.

Shastasaurus, largest species The largest marine reptile ever found was an ichthyosaur that could grow to more than 20 meters. It was much longer than most other predators. But one of the largest creatures to ever swim the sea wasn't quite a terrible predator; Shastasaurus fed by suction, and ate mainly fish.

9. Dakosaurus


Dacosaurus was first discovered in Germany, and with its strangely reptilian and fish-like body, it was one of the main predators in the sea during Jurassic period.

His fossil remains were found over a very wide area - they were found everywhere, from England to Russia to Argentina. Although it is usually compared to modern crocodiles, Dakosaurus could reach 5 meters in length. Its unique teeth led scientists to believe it was a top predator during its terrible reign.

8. Thalassomedon


Thalassomedon belonged to the Pliosaur group, and its name is translated from Greek as “Lord of the Sea” - and for good reason. Thalassomedons were huge predators, reaching up to 12 meters in length.

It had nearly 2 meter long flippers, allowing it to swim in the depths with deadly efficiency. Its reign as a predator lasted until the late Cretaceous period, until it finally came to an end when new, larger predators such as Mosasaurs appeared in the sea.

7. Nothosaurus


Nothosaurs, reaching a length of only 4 meters, were aggressive predators. They were armed mouth full sharp, outwardly oriented teeth, indicating that their diet consisted of squid and fish. It is believed that Nothosaurus were primarily ambush predators. They used their sleek, reptilian physique to sneak up on their prey and surprise it when attacking.

It is believed that Nothosaurus were relatives of pliosaurs, another type of deep-sea sea ​​predators. Evidence obtained from fossil remains suggests that they lived during the Triassic period about 200 million years ago.

6. Tylosaurus


Tylosaurus belonged to the Mosasaurus species. He was huge size, and reached more than 15 meters in length.

Tylosaurus was a meat eater with a very varied diet. Traces of fish, sharks, smaller mosasaurs, plesiosaurs, and even some flightless birds have been found in their stomachs. They lived at the end of the Cretaceous period in a sea that spanned what is now North America, where they sat tightly at the top of the marine food chain for several million years.

5. Thalattoarchon Saurophagis


Only recently discovered, Thalattoarchon was the size of a school bus, reaching almost 9 meters in length. This early view an ichthyosaur that lived during the Triassic period, 244 million years ago. Because they appeared so soon after the Permian extinction (the largest mass extinction on Earth, when scientists believe 95% of marine life was wiped out), its discovery gives scientists new insights into the rapid recovery of ecosystems.

4. Tanystropheus


Although Tanystrophey was not strictly sea ​​creature, its diet consisted mainly of fish, and scientists believe that it spent most of its time in the water. Tanystropheus was a reptile that could reach 6 meters in length and is believed to have lived during the Triassic period about 215 million years ago.

3. Liopleurodon


Liopleurodon was a marine reptile that reached more than 6 meters in length. It primarily lived in the seas that covered Europe during the Jurassic period, and was one of the top predators of its time. Its jaws alone are believed to have reached more than 3 meters - this is approximately equal to the distance from floor to ceiling.

With such huge teeth, it is not difficult to understand why Liopleurodon dominated the food chain.

2. Mosasaurus


If Liopleurodon was huge, then Mosasaurus was colossal.

Evidence obtained from fossil remains suggests that Mosasaurus could reach up to 15 meters in length, making it one of the largest marine predators of the Cretaceous period. The Mosasaurus's head was similar to that of a crocodile, and was armed with hundreds of razor-sharp teeth that could kill even the most heavily armored opponents.

1. Megalodon


One of the largest predators in maritime history and one of largest sharks Ever recorded, Megalodons were incredibly fearsome creatures.

Megalodons roamed the depths of the oceans for Cenozoic era, 28 - 1.5 million years ago, and were a much larger version of the great white shark, the most feared and powerful predator in the oceans today. But while the maximum length that modern great white sharks can reach is 6 meters, Megalodons could grow up to 20 meters in length, which means they were larger than a school bus!