Largest prehistoric organisms
Encyclopedia
The largest prehistoric organisms include both vertebrate
and invertebrate
species. Many are described below, along with their typical range of size (for the general dates of extinction, see the link to each). Many species mentioned might not actually be the largest representative of their clade due to the incompleteness of the fossil record and many of the sizes given are merely estimates since no complete specimen have been found. Especially their body mass is mostly conjecture because soft tissue was rarely fossilized. Generally the size of extinct species was subject to energetic and biomechanical constraints.
Basilosaurus
was once recognized as one of the largest known extinct cetaceans at 18 metres (59.1 ft) in length.
The largest fossil Odontocete ("toothed whale")
was the Miocene
physeteroid whale Livyatan melvillei
which was estimated to be between 13.5 and 17.5 meters in length. One notable feature of L. melvillei was its teeth which could exceed 36 cm in length and were unmatched by any other animal, extinct or alive.
However, the largest fossil whales were baleen whales from the Pliocene
and Pleistocene
Epochs. A notable example is the bones of a Pliocene
age baleen whale
, assigned the questionable name "Balaenoptera sibbaldina", which likely rivaled the modern blue whale
in size.
The largest monotreme
(egg-laying mammal) ever was the extinct long-beaked echidna
species known as Zaglossus hacketti
, known from a couple of bones found in Western Australia. It was the size of a sheep, weighing probably up to 100 kg (220 lb).
The largest artiodactyl was Hippopotamus gorgops
with a length of 4.3 metres (14 ft) and a height of 2.1 metres (6.9 ft). Bison latifrons
reached a shoulder height of 2.5 meters (8.5 feet), and had horns that spanned over 2 meters (6.5 feet). The largest camel that ever lived was the Syrian Camel
. It was 3 meters (10 ft) at the shoulder and 13 feet tall. Daeodon was the largest entelodont
that ever lived, at 12 ft long and 7 ft at the shoulder.
The largest extinct marsupial
was Diprotodon
, about 3 m long (10 ft), standing two meters (6 ft) tall and weighing up to 2,786 kg (6,142 pounds). The two largest carnivorous marsupials were the Marsupial Lion
and Thylacosmilus
(larger than the Tasmanian Tiger), both about 6 ft long (1.8 m) and weighing 100–160 kg (220.5–352.7 lb). The largest kangaroo ever was Procoptodon
, which could grow to 10 ft (3 m) and weigh 230 kilograms (510 lb).
The largest terrestrial carnivora
n and the largest bear
as well as the largest mammalian land-predator of all time was Arctotherium angustidens of the genus Arctotherium
or the South American short-faced bears. A humerus
of A. angustidens from Buenos Aires
indicate that the big males of this species would have weighted 1,588- 1,749 kg and standing at least 11 feet (3.4 meter) tall on the hind-limbs.
The heaviest felid ever was the saber-toothed cat
Smilodon populator, weighing on average between 360– 470 kg while the American Lion
(Panthera leo atrox) was the longest ever, with a total length of 4 metre and standing 1.5 metres (5 ft) at the shoulder. The largest canid of all time was Epicyon haydeni, which stood 37 inches tall (0.9 meters) at the shoulder. The largest bear-dog was Amphicyon Ingens, with a head-body length of 2.5 metre and weighting up to 600 kg.
The largest cingulate known is Doedicurus
, at 4.5 meters long. (14 ft). Glyptodon
easily topped 2.7 m (9 ft) and 2 tonnes (4,400 lb).
The largest creature of this group was Deinogalerix
, measuring up to 60 cm in total length, with a skull up to 20 cm long. It occupied the same ecological niche as dogs and cats today.
The largest prehistoric lagomorph is Minorcan Giant Lagomorph
(Nuralagus rex) at 23 kg (50 lbs).
The largest cimolestid
is Coryphodon
, 1 metres (3.3 ft) high at the shoulder and 2.25 metres (7.4 ft) long.
The largest perissodactyl, and land mammal, of all time was Indricotherium. It stood 5.5 m (18 ft) tall at the shoulder, a total height of 8 m (27 ft), totally 12 m (40 ft) long and may have weighed 20 tonnes (22 tons), though mass estimates vary widely. Some prehistoric horned rhinos
also grew to large sizes. The giant woolly rhino Elasmotherium
reached 20 ft long and 6.6 ft high.
The largest pilosa
n ever was Megatherium
, a ground sloth with an estimated average weight of 4.5 tonnes (5 tons) and a height of 5.1 m (17 ft), which is about the same size as the African Bush Elephant
. Several other sloths grew to large sizes as well, such as Eremotherium
, but none as large as Megatherium.
The largest primate
of all time was Gigantopithecus blackii, standing 3 m tall (10 ft) and weighing 1200 pounds (544.3 kg). Some prehistoric prosimians grew to huge sizes as well. Archaeoindris
was a 1.5 meter long lemur
that lived in Madagascar
and weighed 200 kg, more than a silverback gorilla
. Megaladapis
is another large extinct lemur at 1.3 to 1.5 m (4 to 5 ft) in length.
The largest non-indricotherine
land mammal ever was a proboscid, probably the Songhua River Mammoth (Mammuthus sungari) at 9.1 metres (29.9 ft) long, 5.3 metres (17.4 ft) tall, and with an estimated weight of 17 tonnes (18.7 ST). Some other enormous proboscids include the steppe mammoth
, (Mammuthus trogontherii), the Imperial Mammoth (Mammuthus imperator), and Deinotherium
.
Josephoartigasia monesi
was the largest rodent
of all time, approximately 3 metres (10 ft) long and 1.5 metres (5 ft) tall and weighing an estimated 1 tonne. Before the discovery of Josephoartigasia monesi, another giant rodent was known, Phoberomys insolita, but it was known from only a few fragments, so its real size is unknown. A slightly smaller relative, Phoberomys pattersoni
, was found, which was 3 m long (10 ft) and weighed 700 pounds (317.5 kg).
The largest prehistoric sirenian was Steller's sea cow
at 8 m long (27 ft). Another contender was Rytiodus
which was 6 m long (20 ft). It was about twice the size as modern sirenians.
The largest arsinoithere was Arsinoitherium
. When alive, it would have been 1.8 metres tall (5.9 ft) at the shoulders, and 3 m long (10 ft).
The largest dinocerata
n was Uintatherium
. It was about the size of a rhinoceros
. Despite its large size, it had a brain only about as large as an orange
.
The largest desmostylia
n was Desmostylus
at 1.8 metres long (6 ft) and weighing about 200 kilograms (440 lb).
The largest litoptern
was Macrauchenia
, which had three hoofs per foot. It was a relatively large animal, with a body length of around 3 m (10 ft).
The largest notoungulate
was Toxodon
. It was about 2.7 metres (8.9 ft) in body length, and about 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) high at the shoulder and resembled a heavy rhinoceros.
The largest creodont and oxyaenid
was Sarkastodon
weighting at 800 kg. The largest hyaenodontid
was Megistotherium
at 500 kg.
The largest mesonychid
was Andrewsarchus mongoliensis
. It is known only from one skull which was 83 cm (36.7 in.) long and 56 cm (22 in.) wide.
The plant-eating pelycosaur
Cotylorhynchus
probably was the largest of all synapsids, at 20 feet (6 meters) and 2 tons. Among the largest carnivorous synapsids were the therapsids Anteosaurus
, which was 5–6 meters long, and weighed 500–600 kg, and Ivantosaurus
, with a length of 20 feet (6 meters).
Moschops
was the largest therapsid, with a weight of 700–1000 kg, and a length of about 5 meters.
The largest known crocodilian is likely Sarcosuchus imperator at 12 metres (39 ft) long and weighing 8 tonnes. Some close contenders in size are Deinosuchus
estimated at around 12 metres (39 ft), and Purussaurus
estimated at 11–13 m (36.1–42.7 ft) in length. Another large crocodilian is Rhamphosuchus
, estimated at 10 metres (33 ft) in length.
Giant mosasaurs are the largest animals within this group. The largest known mosasaur is likely Mosasaurus hoffmanni
, estimated at 17.6 metres (58 ft) in length. A close contender in size is Hainosaurus bernardi
, estimated at 15 metres (49 ft) in length. Another giant mosasaur is Tylosaurus
, estimated at 10–14 m (32.8–45.9 ft) in length.
The largest known prehistoric snake is Titanoboa cerrejonensis
, estimated at 13–15 m (42.7–49.2 ft) in length and 1135 kg - 1819 kg in weight. Another known very large fossil snake is Gigantophis garstini, estimated at around 11 metres (36 ft) in length. However, a close rival in size to Gigantophis is a fossil snake, Palaeophis colossaeus
, which may have been around 9 metres (30 ft) in length.
The largest known land lizard is probably Megalania
at 5.5 metres (18 ft) in length. However, maximum size of this animal is subject to hot debate.
The largest plesiosaur was Mauisaurus haasti, growing to about 20 metres (66 ft) in length. Next behind was Elasmosaurus
at 14 metres (46 ft) long.
There is much controversy over the largest of these reptiles. Fossil remains of a pliosaur nicknamed as Predator X
have been discovered and excavated from Norway
in 2008. This pliosaur has been estimated at 15 metres (49 ft) in length and 41 metric tons (45 ST) in weight. However, in 2002, a team of paleontologists in Mexico
discovered the remains of a pliosaur nicknamed as Monster of Aramberri, which is also estimated at 15 metres (49 ft) in length. This specimen is however claimed to be a juvenile and has been attacked by a larger pliosaur. Some media sources claimed that Monster of Aramberri was a Liopleurodon
but its species is unconfirmed thus far.
Another very large pliosaur was Pliosaurus macromerus, known from a single 2.8 m long incomplete mandible. It may have reached 18 metres (59 ft), assuming the skull was about 17% of the total body length.
The largest ichthyosaur
was Shastasaurus sikanniensis at 21 metres (69 ft) in length.
The largest turtle ever was Archelon ischyros at 16 ft long and 4,500 lbs. The next largest was Protostega
at 3 m (10 ft). Two tortoise
s share the title of largest ever tortoise: Meiolania
at 8 ft. long and well over a ton, and Colossochelys atlas at 8 to 9 ft. and weighing over half a ton.
The largest is Scutosaurus
, up to 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) in length, with bony armor, and a number of spikes decorating its skull.
The largest of this order is Redondasaurus
, who attained a length of 10–12 metres (32–40 ft)
The largest pterosaur was Quetzalcoatlus
northropi, at 127 kg (280 lbs) and with a wingspan of 12 m (40 ft). Another close contender is Hatzegopteryx
, also with a wingspan of 12 m (this estimate is based on a skull 3 m long (10 ft). Yet another possible contender for the title is Ornithocheirus
, which allegedly had a 12-meter (40-foot) wingspan. However specimen of this size have not been formally described in the literature.
A mega-sauropod, Amphicoelias fragillimus, is a contender for the largest dinosaur in history. It has been estimated at 58 metres (190 ft) in length and 122400 kilograms (269,845.8 lb) in weight. Unfortunately, the fossil remains of this dinosaur have been lost. However, a titanosaur
id, Bruhathkayosaurus
has been estimated at 39.5–42.8 m (129.6–140.4 ft) in length, and 159–199.8 MT (175.3–220.2 ST) in weight, making it possibly larger than A. fragillimus and potentially rival the modern blue whale
in size. However, this animal is known from scanty evidence. Another notably large titanosaurid is Argentinosaurus
, which is known from partially preserved remains but a complete skeletal reconstruction is on display in Fernbank Museum of Natural History
. This sauropod has been estimated to be 30–37 m (98.4–121.4 ft) long and around 73–99 MT (80.5–109.1 ST) in weight. Some other sauropods, Supersaurus
, Sauroposeidon
, and Seismosaurus (also known as Diplodocus hallorum) probably rival Argentinosaurus in size.
The very largest ornithopods, like Shantungosaurus
were as heavy as medium sized sauropods at up to 23 metric tons (25 short ton
s) but never grew far beyond 15 meters (50 feet). The largest is probably Shantungosaurus
at 16.5 metres (54 ft) in length. However, "Lambeosaurus" laticaudus
appears to be close contender at around 15–16.4 m (49.2–53.8 ft) in length.
There is some controversy upon determining the largest theropod that ever existed due to preservational bias of fossils. The largest known theropod is Spinosaurus aegyptiacus
, estimated at 15–17.4 m (49.2–57.1 ft) in length and around 7–9 MT (7.7–9.9 ST) in weight. Spinosaurus aegyptiacus is also recognized as the largest terrestrial predator yet known. A close contender in size is a giant theropod from South America
, Giganotosaurus carolinii, whose holotype specimen is estimated at 12.5 metres (41 ft) in length, and another specimen is estimated at 13.5 metres (44 ft) in length. A study however presents Carcharodontosaurus
as a close contender in size to Spinosaurus aegyptiacus. Some other notable giant theropods (e.g. Tyrannosaurus rex, Acrocanthosaurus
, and Mapusaurus
) may also have rivaled these giant theropods in size. Another very large theropod was Deinocheirus
, being 3 metres (10 ft) tall at hips,
and weighing up to 19,841 pounds
. The largest dromaeosaurid
is Utahraptor
. In addition to being the largest known dromaeosaurid, it was also the largest known deinonychosaur
and the largest known paravian
.
The largest thyreophoran was Ankylosaurus
at 9 metres (30 ft) in length and 6.5 tons in weight. Stegosaurus
was also 9 meters (30 ft) long but around 5 tons in weight.
The largest ceratopsian known is probably the newly discovered Eotriceratops xerinsularis
with a skull alone being 3 metres (10 ft) in length. Maximum size of this ceratopsian is suggested to be around 12 metres (39 ft) in length and 13 tonnes in weight. A more conservative size estimate puts its length at 9 metres (30 ft), on par with Triceratops
.
The largest birds of all time might have been the elephant birds of Madagascar
. Of almost the same size was the Australian Dromornis stirtoni. Both were about 3 m tall (10 ft). The elephant birds were up to 400 kg and Dromornis stirtoni was up to 500 kg in weight. The tallest bird ever was the Giant Moa
(Dinornis maximus) at 12 ft tall.
The largest flight-capable bird was Argentavis magnificens which a wingspan of 8.3 m (28 ft), and a body weight of 110 kg (244 lb).
The largest waterfowl of all time belonged to the Dromornithidae
(e.g. Dromornis stirtoni).
The largest shorebird of all time was the Great Auk
(Pinguinus impennis) at 5 kg (11 lb) in weight and 75–85 cm (30–34 in) in length.
The largest of Ciconiiformes was Leptoptilos robustus
, standing 1.8 metres (5.9 ft) tall and weighing an estimated 16 kilograms (35.3 lb).
The largest falconiform and the largest flying bird presently known was Argentavis magnificens. The immense bird had wingspan estimated up to 8.3 m (28 ft) and a weight up to 110 kg (244 lb). It was as high as an adult human when standing.
The largest pigeon ever was the Dodo
(Raphus cucullatus), weighing 23 kg (50 lb) and standing 1 m (3.3 ft) tall.
The largest of the hesperornithines was Canadaga arctica at 5 ft long.
The largest diatryma was Gastornis
1.75 metres (5.7 ft) tall, with large individuals up to 2 m (6.6 ft) tall.
The largest teratorn and the largest flying bird ever was Argentavis
, with a weight of 80 kilograms (176.4 lb).
The largest ever gruiform and largest phorusrhacid or "terror bird" (highly predatory, flightless birds of South America) was Brontornis
, which was about 175cm tall at the shoulder, could raise its head 2,8 metres above the ground an could have weighed as uch as 400kg. The immense phorushacid Kelenken
with a skull 28 inches (71 cm) long (18 inches of which was beak), had the largest head of any known bird.
The largest bird of prey ever was the enormous Haast's eagle
(Harpagornis moorei), with a wingspan of 2.6 to 3 m (8 to 10 ft), relatively short for their size. Total length was probably up to 1.4 m (4.7 ft) in female and they weighed about 10 to 15 kg (22 to 33 Ib).
The largest in this group was a giant flightless Sylviornis
, a bird 1.70 m (5.6 ft) long and weighing up to about 30 kg (66 lb).
The largest songbird is the extinct Giant Grosbeak
(Chloridops regiskongi) at 11 inches (27.9 cm) long.
The largest in this group – which has been variously allied with Procellariiformes, Pelecaniformes and Anseriformes – and the largest flying birds of all time other than Argentavis were the huge Cyphornis
, Dasornis
, Gigantornis
and Osteodontornis
. They had a wingspan of 5.5–6 m (18–20 ft) and stood about 1.2 meters (4.5 ft) tall. Exact size estimates and judging which one was largest are not yet possible for these birds, as their bones were extremely thin-walled, light and fragile, and thus most are only known from very incomplete remains.
The largest woodpecker is the possibly extinct Imperial Woodpecker
(Campephilus imperialis) with a total length of about 22 inches (50 centimeters). The largest woodpecker confirmed to be extant is the Great Slaty Woodpecker (Mulleripicus pulverulentus).
The largest parrot is the extinct Norfolk Island Kaka
(Nestor productus), about 38 cm long.
The largest penguin of all time was Anthropornis nordenskjoeldi
of New Zealand
and Antarctica. It stood 1.7 meters (5 ft 6.9 in) in height and was 90 kilograms (198 lb) in weight. Similar in size were the New Zealand Giant Penguin (Pachydyptes pondeorsus) with a height of 1.4 to 1.6 m (about 5 ft) and weighing around 80 to possibly over 100 kg
, and Icadyptes salasi
at 1.5 m (5 ft) tall.
The largest owl of all time was the Cuba
n Ornimegalonyx at 43.3 inches tall probably exceeding 9 kg (20 lb).
The largest amphibian of all time was the 30 ft long temnospondyli
Prionosuchus
.
Another huge temnospondyli was Koolasuchus
at 16 ft long, but only 1 ft high.
The largest frog ever was the 16 inches (40.6 cm) Beelzebufo ampinga, weighing 10 pounds (4.5 kg)
The largest diacectid, Diadectes
, was a heavily built animal, 1.5 to 3 meters long, with thick vertebrae and ribs.
The largest anthracosaur was Anthracosaurus
, a predator. It could reach up to 12 feet in length. Eogyrinus
commonly reached 4.6 metres (15.1 ft), however, it was more lightly built.
The largest placoderm was the 8.5 metres (27.9 ft) long Dunkleosteus
.
The largest of these was the 5 metres (16.4 ft) long Hyneria
.
The largest bony fish of all time was the pachycormid, Leedsichthys problematicus, at around 16 metres (52 ft) long. Claims of larger individuals persist.
The largest of ichthyodectid fish was the 5 metres (16.4 ft) long Xiphactinus
.
An extinct megatoothed shark
, C. megalodon
is by far the biggest shark known. This giant shark reached a total length (TL) of more than 16 metres (52.5 ft). C. megalodon may have approached a maxima of 20.3 metres (66.6 ft) in total length and 103 metric tons (114 ST) in mass.
The largest symmoriid is Stethacanthus
at 2 metres (6.6 ft) long.
The largest eugenedont is Helicoprion
at 10 metres (32.8 ft) long.
The largest known is Anomalocaris
at 1 meter long.
The largest in this group was Jaekelopterus rhenaniae
at 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) in length. A close contender was Pterygotus
at 2.3 metres (7.5 ft) in length.
There are two contenders for largest ever arachnid
: Pulmonoscorpius kirktonensis and Brontoscorpio anglicus. Both were 1 metres (3.3 ft). The biggest difference is that Brontoscorpio was aquatic, and Pulmonoscorpius was terrestrial. Brontoscorpio is not to be confused with various Eurypterids: it was a true scorpion with a stinger.
The largest centipede
of all time was Euphoberia
at 1 metres (3.3 ft). It was about four times as long as the largest living species, Scolopendra gigantea
.
The largest by far was the giant Arthropleura
. Measuring 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) and 45 centimetres (17.7 in) wide, it was the largest terrestrial arthropod
of all time.
Some of these extinct marine arthropods exceeded 60 centimetres (23.6 in) in length. A nearly complete specimen of Isotelus rex
from Manitoba
attained a length over 70 centimetres (27.6 in), and a Ogyginus forteyi from Portugal was almost as long. Fragments of trilobites suggest even larger record sizes. An isolated pygidium
of Hungioides bohemicus implies that the full animal was 90 centimetres (35.4 in) long.
The largest of this group was the giant ant Titanomyrma giganteum
at 3 centimetres (1.2 in), with queens
growing to 6 centimetres (2.4 in). It had a wingspan of 15 centimetres (5.9 in).
The largest in this group was probably Meganeura
with a wingspan of 75 centimetres (2.5 ft). Another enormous and possibly larger species was Meganeuropsis permiana
.
The largest in this group was probably Saurophthirus
, growing to 1 inches (2.5 cm) in length. It possibly sucked the blood
of pterosaur
s.
The largest of this order was Mazothairos, with a wingspan of up to 22 inches (55.9 cm).
Several cockroach-like stem dictyoptera
ns from the Carboniferous
Period grew to exceptional size. A specimen of Xenoblatta from Ohio
was at least 70 mm long, almost the size of the largest cockroach living today.
The largest of this group were in the genus Campanile
, with the extinct Campanile giganteum
having shell lengths up to 60 centimetres (23.6 in).
The largest bivalve ever was Platyceramus platinus, a giant that usually had an axial length of 1 metres (3.3 ft), but some individuals could reach an axial length of up to 3 metres (9.8 ft).
The largest ammonite was Parapuzosia seppenradensis
. A partial fossil specimen found in Germany
had a shell diameter of 1.95 metres (6.4 ft), but the living chamber was incomplete, so the estimated shell diameter was probably about 2.55 metres (8.4 ft) when it was alive.
The largest belemnite was Megateuthis gigantea
with a guard of 46 centimetres (18.1 in) in length and an estimated total length 3 metres (9.8 ft) long.
The longest and largest of this group was Cameroceras with a shell length of 9 metres (29.5 ft).
Both Tusoteuthis
and Yezoteuthis are estimated to be similar in size to the modern day giant squid
.http://www.tonmo.com/science/fossils/cretaceousGS.php
Vertebrate
Vertebrates are animals that are members of the subphylum Vertebrata . Vertebrates are the largest group of chordates, with currently about 58,000 species described. Vertebrates include the jawless fishes, bony fishes, sharks and rays, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and birds...
and invertebrate
Invertebrate
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. The group includes 97% of all animal species – all animals except those in the chordate subphylum Vertebrata .Invertebrates form a paraphyletic group...
species. Many are described below, along with their typical range of size (for the general dates of extinction, see the link to each). Many species mentioned might not actually be the largest representative of their clade due to the incompleteness of the fossil record and many of the sizes given are merely estimates since no complete specimen have been found. Especially their body mass is mostly conjecture because soft tissue was rarely fossilized. Generally the size of extinct species was subject to energetic and biomechanical constraints.
Mammals (Mammalia)
- Whales (Cetacea)
Basilosaurus
Basilosaurus
Basilosaurus is a genus of cetacean that lived from in the Late Eocene. Its fossilized remains were first discovered in the southern United States . The American fossils were initially believed to be some sort of reptile, hence the suffix -"saurus", but later found to be a marine mammal...
was once recognized as one of the largest known extinct cetaceans at 18 metres (59.1 ft) in length.
The largest fossil Odontocete ("toothed whale")
Toothed whale
The toothed whales form a suborder of the cetaceans, including sperm whales, beaked whales, dolphins, and others. As the name suggests, the suborder is characterized by the presence of teeth rather than the baleen of other whales.-Anatomy:Toothed whales have a single blowhole on the top of the head...
was the Miocene
Miocene
The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about . The Miocene was named by Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from the Greek words and and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern sea invertebrates than the Pliocene. The Miocene follows the Oligocene...
physeteroid whale Livyatan melvillei
Livyatan melvillei
Livyatan melvillei is an extinct species of physeteroid whale, which lived during the Miocene epoch, approximately 12-13 million years ago.- Discovery :...
which was estimated to be between 13.5 and 17.5 meters in length. One notable feature of L. melvillei was its teeth which could exceed 36 cm in length and were unmatched by any other animal, extinct or alive.
However, the largest fossil whales were baleen whales from the Pliocene
Pliocene
The Pliocene Epoch is the period in the geologic timescale that extends from 5.332 million to 2.588 million years before present. It is the second and youngest epoch of the Neogene Period in the Cenozoic Era. The Pliocene follows the Miocene Epoch and is followed by the Pleistocene Epoch...
and Pleistocene
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
Epochs. A notable example is the bones of a Pliocene
Pliocene
The Pliocene Epoch is the period in the geologic timescale that extends from 5.332 million to 2.588 million years before present. It is the second and youngest epoch of the Neogene Period in the Cenozoic Era. The Pliocene follows the Miocene Epoch and is followed by the Pleistocene Epoch...
age baleen whale
Baleen whale
The Baleen whales, also called whalebone whales or great whales, form the Mysticeti, one of two suborders of the Cetacea . Baleen whales are characterized by having baleen plates for filtering food from water, rather than having teeth. This distinguishes them from the other suborder of cetaceans,...
, assigned the questionable name "Balaenoptera sibbaldina", which likely rivaled the modern blue whale
Blue Whale
The blue whale is a marine mammal belonging to the suborder of baleen whales . At in length and or more in weight, it is the largest known animal to have ever existed....
in size.
- Monotremes (Monotremata)
The largest monotreme
Monotreme
Monotremes are mammals that lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young like marsupials and placental mammals...
(egg-laying mammal) ever was the extinct long-beaked echidna
Long-beaked echidna
The long-beaked echidnas make up one of the two genera of echidnas, spiny monotremes that lives in New Guinea. There are three living species and two extinct species in this genus...
species known as Zaglossus hacketti
Zaglossus hacketti
Zaglossus hacketti is an extinct species of long-beaked echidna from Western Australia that is dated from the Pleistocene. It is known only from a few bones found in Western Australia. It was the size of a sheep, weighing probably up to 100 kg . This makes it the largest monotreme to have ever...
, known from a couple of bones found in Western Australia. It was the size of a sheep, weighing probably up to 100 kg (220 lb).
- Even-toed ungulates (Artiodactyla)
The largest artiodactyl was Hippopotamus gorgops
Hippopotamus gorgops
Hippopotamus gorgops is an extinct species of hippopotamus. It first appeared in Africa during the late Miocene, and eventually migrated into Europe during the early Pliocene . It became extinct prior to the Ice Age.With a length of and a shoulder height of H...
with a length of 4.3 metres (14 ft) and a height of 2.1 metres (6.9 ft). Bison latifrons
Bison latifrons
Bison latifrons is an extinct species of bison that lived in North America during the Pleistocene. Also known as the giant bison, it reached a shoulder height of 2.5 metres , and had horns that spanned over 2 metres...
reached a shoulder height of 2.5 meters (8.5 feet), and had horns that spanned over 2 meters (6.5 feet). The largest camel that ever lived was the Syrian Camel
Syrian Camel
The Syrian Camel is an extinct species of camel from Syria. Found to have existed around 100,000 years ago, the camel was up to 3 metres tall at the shoulder, and 4 metres tall overall. The first of the fossils were discovered late in 2005, and several more were discovered about a year later....
. It was 3 meters (10 ft) at the shoulder and 13 feet tall. Daeodon was the largest entelodont
Entelodont
Entelodonts, sometimes nicknamed hell pigs or terminator pigs, is an extinct family of pig-like omnivores endemic to forests and plains of North America, Europe, and Asia from the middle Eocene to early Miocene epochs , existing for approximately .-Taxonomy:Entelodontidae was named by Richard...
that ever lived, at 12 ft long and 7 ft at the shoulder.
- Marsupials (Marsupialia)
The largest extinct marsupial
Marsupial
Marsupials are an infraclass of mammals, characterized by giving birth to relatively undeveloped young. Close to 70% of the 334 extant species occur in Australia, New Guinea, and nearby islands, with the remaining 100 found in the Americas, primarily in South America, but with thirteen in Central...
was Diprotodon
Diprotodon
Diprotodon, meaning "two forward teeth", sometimes known as the Giant Wombat or the Rhinoceros Wombat, was the largest known marsupial that ever lived...
, about 3 m long (10 ft), standing two meters (6 ft) tall and weighing up to 2,786 kg (6,142 pounds). The two largest carnivorous marsupials were the Marsupial Lion
Marsupial Lion
The Marsupial Lion is an extinct species of carnivorous marsupial mammal that lived in Australia from the early to the late Pleistocene...
and Thylacosmilus
Thylacosmilus
Thylacosmilus was a genus of sabre-toothed metatherian predators that first appeared during the Miocene. Remains of the animal have been found in parts of South America, primarily Argentina...
(larger than the Tasmanian Tiger), both about 6 ft long (1.8 m) and weighing 100–160 kg (220.5–352.7 lb). The largest kangaroo ever was Procoptodon
Procoptodon
Procoptodon was a genus of giant short-faced kangaroo living in Australia during the Pleistocene epoch. P. goliah, the largest known kangaroo that ever existed, stood approximately 2 meters tall. They weighed about ....
, which could grow to 10 ft (3 m) and weigh 230 kilograms (510 lb).
- Carnivores (Carnivora)
The largest terrestrial carnivora
Carnivora
The diverse order Carnivora |Latin]] carō "flesh", + vorāre "to devour") includes over 260 species of placental mammals. Its members are formally referred to as carnivorans, while the word "carnivore" can refer to any meat-eating animal...
n and the largest bear
Bear
Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
as well as the largest mammalian land-predator of all time was Arctotherium angustidens of the genus Arctotherium
Arctotherium
Arctotherium is an extinct genus of South American short-faced bears within Ursidae of the late Pliocene through the end of the Pleistocene. Their ancestors migrated from North America to South America during the Great American Interchange, following the formation of the Isthmus of Panama. They...
or the South American short-faced bears. A humerus
Humerus
The humerus is a long bone in the arm or forelimb that runs from the shoulder to the elbow....
of A. angustidens from Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
indicate that the big males of this species would have weighted 1,588- 1,749 kg and standing at least 11 feet (3.4 meter) tall on the hind-limbs.
The heaviest felid ever was the saber-toothed cat
Saber-toothed cat
Saber-toothed cat or Sabre-toothed cat refers to the extinct subfamilies of Machairodontinae , Barbourofelidae , and Nimravidae as well as two families related to marsupials that were found worldwide from the Eocene Epoch to the end of the Pleistocene Epoch ,...
Smilodon populator, weighing on average between 360– 470 kg while the American Lion
American lion
The American lion — also known as the North American lion, Naegele’s giant jaguar or American cave lion — is an extinct lion of the family Felidae, endemic to North America during the Pleistocene epoch , existing for approximately...
(Panthera leo atrox) was the longest ever, with a total length of 4 metre and standing 1.5 metres (5 ft) at the shoulder. The largest canid of all time was Epicyon haydeni, which stood 37 inches tall (0.9 meters) at the shoulder. The largest bear-dog was Amphicyon Ingens, with a head-body length of 2.5 metre and weighting up to 600 kg.
- Armadillos, glyptodonts & pampatheres (Cingulata)
The largest cingulate known is Doedicurus
Doedicurus
Doedicurus clavicaudatus was a prehistoric glyptodont, living during the Pleistocene until the end of the last glacial period, some 11,000 years ago. This was the largest known glyptodontid, and one of the better known members of the New World Pleistocene megafauna, with a height of 1.5 meters and...
, at 4.5 meters long. (14 ft). Glyptodon
Glyptodon
Glyptodon was a large, armored mammal of the family Glyptodontidae, a relative of armadillos that lived during the Pleistocene Epoch. It was roughly the same size and weight as a Volkswagen Beetle, though flatter in shape...
easily topped 2.7 m (9 ft) and 2 tonnes (4,400 lb).
- Hedgehogs, gymnures, shrews, and moles (Erinaceomorpha & Soricomorpha)
The largest creature of this group was Deinogalerix
Deinogalerix
Deinogalerix , was a genus of the order Erinaceomorpha, which lived in Italy in the Late Miocene. The genus was apparently endemic to what was then Gargano Island, today's Gargano peninsula...
, measuring up to 60 cm in total length, with a skull up to 20 cm long. It occupied the same ecological niche as dogs and cats today.
- Rabbits, hares, and pikas (Lagomorpha)
The largest prehistoric lagomorph is Minorcan Giant Lagomorph
Minorcan Giant Lagomorph
The Minorcan Giant Lagomorph, Nuralagus rex, is an extinct rabbit that lived in the island of Minorca from the Messinian until around the middle of the Pliocene, when it became extinct...
(Nuralagus rex) at 23 kg (50 lbs).
- Cimolestids (Cimolesta)
The largest cimolestid
Cimolestes
Cimolestes is a genus of early eutherians. Fossils have been found in North America, where they first appeared during the Late Cretaceous, and died out during the Paleocene....
is Coryphodon
Coryphodon
Coryphodon is an extinct genus of mammal. It was widespread in North America between 59 and 51 million years ago. It is regarded as the ancestor of the genus Hypercoryphodon of Mid Eocene Mongolia....
, 1 metres (3.3 ft) high at the shoulder and 2.25 metres (7.4 ft) long.
- Odd-toed ungulates (Perissodactyla)
The largest perissodactyl, and land mammal, of all time was Indricotherium. It stood 5.5 m (18 ft) tall at the shoulder, a total height of 8 m (27 ft), totally 12 m (40 ft) long and may have weighed 20 tonnes (22 tons), though mass estimates vary widely. Some prehistoric horned rhinos
Rhinoceros
Rhinoceros , also known as rhino, is a group of five extant species of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. Two of these species are native to Africa and three to southern Asia....
also grew to large sizes. The giant woolly rhino Elasmotherium
Elasmotherium
Elasmotherium is an extinct genus of giant rhinoceros endemic to Eurasia during the Late Pliocene through the Pleistocene, documented from 2.6 mya to as late as 50,000 years ago, possibly later, in the Late Pleistocene, an approximate span of slightly less than 2.6 million years. Three species...
reached 20 ft long and 6.6 ft high.
- Anteaters & sloths (Pilosa)
The largest pilosa
Pilosa
The order Pilosa is a group of placental mammals, extant today only in the Americas. It includes the anteaters and sloths, including the recently extinct ground sloths....
n ever was Megatherium
Megatherium
Megatherium was a genus of elephant-sized ground sloths endemic to Central America and South America that lived from the Pliocene through Pleistocene existing approximately...
, a ground sloth with an estimated average weight of 4.5 tonnes (5 tons) and a height of 5.1 m (17 ft), which is about the same size as the African Bush Elephant
African Bush Elephant
The African Bush Elephant or African Savanna Elephant is the larger of the two species of African elephant. Both it and the African Forest Elephant have usually been classified as a single species, known simply as the African Elephant...
. Several other sloths grew to large sizes as well, such as Eremotherium
Eremotherium
Eremotherium is an extinct genus of actively mobile ground sloth of the family Megatheriidae, endemic to North America and South America during the Pleistocene epoch...
, but none as large as Megatherium.
- Primates (Primata)
The largest primate
Primate
A primate is a mammal of the order Primates , which contains prosimians and simians. Primates arose from ancestors that lived in the trees of tropical forests; many primate characteristics represent adaptations to life in this challenging three-dimensional environment...
of all time was Gigantopithecus blackii, standing 3 m tall (10 ft) and weighing 1200 pounds (544.3 kg). Some prehistoric prosimians grew to huge sizes as well. Archaeoindris
Archaeoindris
Archaeoindris fontoynonti is an extinct species of Malagasy lemur that was the largest primate to evolve on Madagascar. It weighed about and measured around 1.5m in height, more than a silverback gorilla. Archaeoindris is one of eight known members of the Palaeopropithecinae subfamily...
was a 1.5 meter long lemur
Lemur
Lemurs are a clade of strepsirrhine primates endemic to the island of Madagascar. They are named after the lemures of Roman mythology due to the ghostly vocalizations, reflective eyes, and the nocturnal habits of some species...
that lived in Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
and weighed 200 kg, more than a silverback gorilla
Gorilla
Gorillas are the largest extant species of primates. They are ground-dwelling, predominantly herbivorous apes that inhabit the forests of central Africa. Gorillas are divided into two species and either four or five subspecies...
. Megaladapis
Megaladapis
Koala lemurs, genus Megaladapis, belong to the family Megaladapidae, consisting of three extinct species of lemurs that once inhabited the island of Madagascar. The largest measured between in length.-Appearance and habits:...
is another large extinct lemur at 1.3 to 1.5 m (4 to 5 ft) in length.
- Elephants, mammoths, and mastodons (Proboscidea)
The largest non-indricotherine
Indricotheriinae
Indricotheriinae is a subfamily of Hyracodontidae, a group of long-limbed, hornless rhinoceroses that evolved in the Eocene epoch and continued through to the early Miocene. The earlier hyracodontid species, such as Hyracodon were modest-sized, fast-running, lightly built animals with little...
land mammal ever was a proboscid, probably the Songhua River Mammoth (Mammuthus sungari) at 9.1 metres (29.9 ft) long, 5.3 metres (17.4 ft) tall, and with an estimated weight of 17 tonnes (18.7 ST). Some other enormous proboscids include the steppe mammoth
Steppe mammoth
The steppe mammoth, Mammuthus armeniacus, is an extinct species of Elephantidae, that ranged over most of northern Eurasia during the Middle Pleistocene, 600,000-370,000 years ago....
, (Mammuthus trogontherii), the Imperial Mammoth (Mammuthus imperator), and Deinotherium
Deinotherium
Deinotherium , also called the Hoe tusker, was a large prehistoric relative of modern-day elephants that appeared in the Middle Miocene and continued until the Early Pleistocene. During that time it changed very little...
.
- Rodents (Rodentia)
Josephoartigasia monesi
Josephoartigasia monesi
Josephoartigasia monesi, an extinct species of South American caviomorph rodent, is the largest rodent known, and lived approximately 4 to 2 million years ago during the Pliocene to early Pleistocene. The species may have weighed , considerably larger than its closest living relative, the pacarana...
was the largest rodent
Rodent
Rodentia is an order of mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by gnawing....
of all time, approximately 3 metres (10 ft) long and 1.5 metres (5 ft) tall and weighing an estimated 1 tonne. Before the discovery of Josephoartigasia monesi, another giant rodent was known, Phoberomys insolita, but it was known from only a few fragments, so its real size is unknown. A slightly smaller relative, Phoberomys pattersoni
Phoberomys pattersoni
Phoberomys pattersoni is an extinct rodent that lived in the ancient Orinoco River delta approximately 8 million years ago. It was the second-largest of the roughly 7 species of its genus. Like many other rodents, Phoberomys was a herbivore with high-crowned premolars and molars...
, was found, which was 3 m long (10 ft) and weighed 700 pounds (317.5 kg).
- Sirenians (Sirenia)
The largest prehistoric sirenian was Steller's sea cow
Steller's Sea Cow
Steller's sea cow was a large herbivorous marine mammal. In historical times, it was the largest member of the order Sirenia, which includes its closest living relative, the dugong , and the manatees...
at 8 m long (27 ft). Another contender was Rytiodus
Rytiodus
Rytiodus is an extinct genus of sirenian, whose fossils have been discovered in Europe.-Description:With a length of 6 m , Rytiodus was about twice the size as modern sirenians, surpassed only by Steller's sea cow, which was up to 8 m long. Like its closest modern relatives, the dugongs, Rytiodus...
which was 6 m long (20 ft). It was about twice the size as modern sirenians.
- Arsinoitheres (Arsinoitheriidae)
The largest arsinoithere was Arsinoitherium
Arsinoitherium
Arsinoitherium is an extinct genus of paenungulate mammal related to elephants, sirenians, hyraxes and the extinct desmostylians, as well as to other extinct embrithopods...
. When alive, it would have been 1.8 metres tall (5.9 ft) at the shoulders, and 3 m long (10 ft).
- Dinoceratans (Dinocerata)
The largest dinocerata
Dinocerata
Dinocerata mammals are an extinct order of plant-eating, rhinoceros-like hoofed creatures famous for their paired horns and tusk-like canine teeth...
n was Uintatherium
Uintatherium
Uintatherium, is an extinct genus of herbivorous mammal that lived during the Eocene epoch, which includes a single species currently recognized, U. anceps. They were similar to today's rhinoceros both in size and in shape, although they are not closely related...
. It was about the size of a rhinoceros
Rhinoceros
Rhinoceros , also known as rhino, is a group of five extant species of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. Two of these species are native to Africa and three to southern Asia....
. Despite its large size, it had a brain only about as large as an orange
Orange (fruit)
An orange—specifically, the sweet orange—is the citrus Citrus × sinensis and its fruit. It is the most commonly grown tree fruit in the world....
.
- Desmostylians (Desmostylia)
The largest desmostylia
Desmostylia
Desmostylia is an extinct order of marine mammals which existed from the Arikareean age of the late Oligocene epoch to the Tortonian age of the late Miocene epoch . Their dental and skeletal form suggests desmostylians were amphibious herbivores dependent on littoral habitats...
n was Desmostylus
Desmostylus
Desmostylus is a monotypic extinct genus of herbivorous mammal of the family Desmostylidae living from the Chattian stage of the Late Oligocene subepoch through the Late Miocene subepoch and in existence for approximately ....
at 1.8 metres long (6 ft) and weighing about 200 kilograms (440 lb).
- Litopterns (Litopterna)
The largest litoptern
Litopterna
Litopterna is an extinct order of fossil hoofed mammals from the Tertiary period that displays toe reduction. Three-toed, and even a one-toed horselike form developed....
was Macrauchenia
Macrauchenia
Macrauchenia was a long-necked and long-limbed, three-toed South American ungulate mammal, typifying the order Litopterna. The oldest fossils date back to around 7 million years ago, and M...
, which had three hoofs per foot. It was a relatively large animal, with a body length of around 3 m (10 ft).
- Notoungulates (Notoungulata)
The largest notoungulate
Notoungulata
Notoungulata is an extinct order of hoofed, sometimes heavy bodied mammalian ungulates which inhabited South America during the Paleocene to Pleistocene, living from approximately 57 Ma to 11,000 years ago.-Taxonomy:...
was Toxodon
Toxodon
Toxodon is an extinct mammal of the late Pliocene and Pleistocene epochs about 2.6 million to 16,500 years ago. It was indigenous to South America, and was probably the most common large-hoofed mammal in South America at the time of its existence....
. It was about 2.7 metres (8.9 ft) in body length, and about 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) high at the shoulder and resembled a heavy rhinoceros.
- Creodonts (Creodonta)
The largest creodont and oxyaenid
Oxyaenidae
Oxyaenidae is a family of the extinct order Creodonta; it contains three subfamilies comprising ten genera. The placement of a fourth subfamily, Machaeroidinae, is unsure; it may belong here or in Hyaenodontidae....
was Sarkastodon
Sarkastodon
Sarkastodon is an extinct genus within the family Oxyaenidae that lived during the upper Eocene, approximately 35 million years ago. It was a large, carnivorous animal that lived in what is today Mongolia...
weighting at 800 kg. The largest hyaenodontid
Hyaenodontidae
Hyaenodontidae is a family of the extinct order Creodonta, which contains several dozen genera.The Hyaenodontids were important mammalian predators that arose during the late Paleocene and persisted well into the Miocene...
was Megistotherium
Megistotherium
Megistotherium is an extinct genus of creodonts, the only known species of which is Megistotherium osteothlastes....
at 500 kg.
- Mesonychids (Mesonychia)
The largest mesonychid
Mesonychid
Mesonychia are an extinct order of medium to large-sized carnivorous mammals that were closely related to artiodactyls and to cetaceans...
was Andrewsarchus mongoliensis
Andrewsarchus mongoliensis
Andrewsarchus mongoliensis , was a mammal that lived during the Eocene epoch, roughly between 45 and 36 million years ago. It had a long snout with large, sharp teeth and flat cheek teeth that may have been used to crush bones...
. It is known only from one skull which was 83 cm (36.7 in.) long and 56 cm (22 in.) wide.
Mammal-like reptiles (Synapsida)
Pelycosaur
The pelycosaurs are an informal grouping composed of basal or primitive Late Paleozoic synapsid amniotes. Some species were quite large and could grow up to 3 meters or more, although most species were much smaller...
Cotylorhynchus
Cotylorhynchus
Cotylorhynchus was a very large mammal-like reptile that lived in the southern part of what is now North America during the Early Permian period and persisted until the late-Mid Permian...
probably was the largest of all synapsids, at 20 feet (6 meters) and 2 tons. Among the largest carnivorous synapsids were the therapsids Anteosaurus
Anteosaurus
Anteosaurus is the name given to an extinct genus of large carnivorous synapsid. It lived during the Capitanian epoch of the Middle Permian in what is now South Africa...
, which was 5–6 meters long, and weighed 500–600 kg, and Ivantosaurus
Ivantosaurus
Ivantosaurus is an extinct genus of therapsid that lived in Russia during the Wordian stage of the Permian period. It is known only from the fragmentary remains of its jaw. It was carnivorous and may have grown to a length of 6 meters, approx. Two canine teeth are set side-to-side in Ivantosaurus jaw...
, with a length of 20 feet (6 meters).
- Therapsida
Moschops
Moschops
Moschops is an extinct genus of therapsid that lived in the Late Permian, around 255 million years ago. Therapsids were proto-mammals , which were the dominant land animals. Five metres long, Moschops was the largest land animal of its time, a herbivore preyed on by other therapsids...
was the largest therapsid, with a weight of 700–1000 kg, and a length of about 5 meters.
Reptiles (Reptilia)
- Crocodilians (Crocodilia)
The largest known crocodilian is likely Sarcosuchus imperator at 12 metres (39 ft) long and weighing 8 tonnes. Some close contenders in size are Deinosuchus
Deinosuchus
Deinosuchus is an extinct genus related to the alligator that lived 73 to 80 Ma , during the late Cretaceous period. The name translates as "terrible crocodile" and is derived from the Greek deinos , "terrible", and soukhos , "crocodile"...
estimated at around 12 metres (39 ft), and Purussaurus
Purussaurus
Purussaurus is an extinct genus of giant caiman that lived in South America during the Miocene epoch, 8 million years ago. It is known from skull material found in the Brazilian, Colombian and Peruvian Amazonia, and northern Venezuela. The estimated skull length for one large individual of the type...
estimated at 11–13 m (36.1–42.7 ft) in length. Another large crocodilian is Rhamphosuchus
Rhamphosuchus
Rhamphosuchus is an extinct relative of the modern false gharial. It inhabited what is now the Indian sub-continent in the Miocene...
, estimated at 10 metres (33 ft) in length.
- Lizards & snakes (Squamata)
Giant mosasaurs are the largest animals within this group. The largest known mosasaur is likely Mosasaurus hoffmanni
Mosasaurus
Mosasaurus is a genus of mosasaur, carnivorous, aquatic lizards, somewhat resembling flippered crocodiles, with elongated heavy jaws. The genus existed during the Maastrichtian age of the Cretaceous period , around 70-65 millions years ago in the area of modern Western Europe and North America...
, estimated at 17.6 metres (58 ft) in length. A close contender in size is Hainosaurus bernardi
Hainosaurus
Hainosaurus is an extinct genus of marine lizard belonging to the mosasaur family. It was one of the largest mosasaurs, though its size has been revised more than once. At first it was estimated to be , and the largest mosasaurid. During the 1990s, its size was revised to long; more recently,...
, estimated at 15 metres (49 ft) in length. Another giant mosasaur is Tylosaurus
Tylosaurus
Tylosaurus was a mosasaur, a large, predatory marine lizard closely related to modern monitor lizards and to snakes.-Paleobiology:...
, estimated at 10–14 m (32.8–45.9 ft) in length.
The largest known prehistoric snake is Titanoboa cerrejonensis
Titanoboa
Titanoboa, , meaning "titanic boa," is a genus of snake that lived approximately 58 to 60 million years ago, in the Paleocene epoch, a 10-million-year period immediately following the dinosaur extinction event...
, estimated at 13–15 m (42.7–49.2 ft) in length and 1135 kg - 1819 kg in weight. Another known very large fossil snake is Gigantophis garstini, estimated at around 11 metres (36 ft) in length. However, a close rival in size to Gigantophis is a fossil snake, Palaeophis colossaeus
Palaeophis
Palaeophis is an extinct genus of snake. The sea-dwelling creature was initially thought to have been the largest snake ever, reaching the almost mythical length of 30–40 m , but recent estimates put its length at about 9 m , about as long as the modern green anaconda and reticulated python....
, which may have been around 9 metres (30 ft) in length.
The largest known land lizard is probably Megalania
Megalania
Megalania is a giant extinct goanna or monitor lizard. It was part of a megafaunal assemblage that inhabited southern Australia during the Pleistocene, and appears to have disappeared around 40,000 years ago...
at 5.5 metres (18 ft) in length. However, maximum size of this animal is subject to hot debate.
- Long-Necked Plesiosaurs (Plesiosauria)
The largest plesiosaur was Mauisaurus haasti, growing to about 20 metres (66 ft) in length. Next behind was Elasmosaurus
Elasmosaurus
Elasmosaurus + σαυρος sauros 'lizard') is a genus of plesiosaur with an extremely long neck that lived in the Late Cretaceous period , 80.5 million years ago.-Description:...
at 14 metres (46 ft) long.
- Pliosaurs (Pliosauroidea)
There is much controversy over the largest of these reptiles. Fossil remains of a pliosaur nicknamed as Predator X
Predator X
Predator X is a comic book character, in Marvel Comics' main shared universe. The character is an adversary of Marvel's mutant characters, including the X-Men.-History:...
have been discovered and excavated from Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
in 2008. This pliosaur has been estimated at 15 metres (49 ft) in length and 41 metric tons (45 ST) in weight. However, in 2002, a team of paleontologists in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
discovered the remains of a pliosaur nicknamed as Monster of Aramberri, which is also estimated at 15 metres (49 ft) in length. This specimen is however claimed to be a juvenile and has been attacked by a larger pliosaur. Some media sources claimed that Monster of Aramberri was a Liopleurodon
Liopleurodon
Liopleurodon is a genus of large, carnivorous marine reptile belonging to the Pliosauroidea, a clade of short-necked plesiosaurs. Two species of Liopleurodon lived during the Callovian stage of the Middle Jurassic Period , while the third, L. rossicus, lived during the Late Jurassic...
but its species is unconfirmed thus far.
Another very large pliosaur was Pliosaurus macromerus, known from a single 2.8 m long incomplete mandible. It may have reached 18 metres (59 ft), assuming the skull was about 17% of the total body length.
- Ichthyosaurs (Ichthyosauria)
The largest ichthyosaur
Ichthyosaur
Ichthyosaurs were giant marine reptiles that resembled fish and dolphins...
was Shastasaurus sikanniensis at 21 metres (69 ft) in length.
- Turtles and tortoises (Testudines)
The largest turtle ever was Archelon ischyros at 16 ft long and 4,500 lbs. The next largest was Protostega
Protostega
Protostega gigas is an extinct species of marine turtle. It was first collected from the Smoky Hill Chalk of western Kansas in 1871, and named by E.D. Cope...
at 3 m (10 ft). Two tortoise
Tortoise
Tortoises are a family of land-dwelling reptiles of the order of turtles . Like their marine cousins, the sea turtles, tortoises are shielded from predators by a shell. The top part of the shell is the carapace, the underside is the plastron, and the two are connected by the bridge. The tortoise...
s share the title of largest ever tortoise: Meiolania
Meiolania
Meiolania is an extinct genus of cryptodire turtle from the Oligocene to Holocene, with the last relict populations at New Caledonia which survived until 2,000 years ago....
at 8 ft. long and well over a ton, and Colossochelys atlas at 8 to 9 ft. and weighing over half a ton.
- Pareiasaurs (Pareiasauridae)
The largest is Scutosaurus
Scutosaurus
Scutosaurus was a genus of armor-covered pareiasaur that lived around 252-248 million years ago in Russia, in the later Permian period. Its genus name refers to large plates of armor scattered across its body...
, up to 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) in length, with bony armor, and a number of spikes decorating its skull.
- Phytosaurs (Phytosauria)
The largest of this order is Redondasaurus
Redondasaurus
Redondasaurus is a genus of phytosaur from the Late Triassic of North America. Translated, the name Redondasaurus means "Redonda lizard," referring to the Redonda Formation of east-central New Mexico, USA. It was first named by Hunt & Lucas in 1993, and contains one species, R. gregorii...
, who attained a length of 10–12 metres (32–40 ft)
- Pterosaurs (Pterosauria)
The largest pterosaur was Quetzalcoatlus
Quetzalcoatlus
Quetzalcoatlus was a pterodactyloid pterosaur known from the Late Cretaceous of North America , and one of the largest known flying animals of all time. It was a member of the Azhdarchidae, a family of advanced toothless pterosaurs with unusually long, stiffened necks...
northropi, at 127 kg (280 lbs) and with a wingspan of 12 m (40 ft). Another close contender is Hatzegopteryx
Hatzegopteryx
Hatzegopteryx is a genus of azhdarchid pterosaur, known from incomplete remains found in Transylvania. The skull fragments, left humerus, and other fossilized remains indicate it was among the largest pterosaurs. The skeleton of Hatzegopteryx has been considered identical to the known remains of...
, also with a wingspan of 12 m (this estimate is based on a skull 3 m long (10 ft). Yet another possible contender for the title is Ornithocheirus
Ornithocheirus
Ornithocheirus was a pterosaur from the Cretaceous period of Europe and South America...
, which allegedly had a 12-meter (40-foot) wingspan. However specimen of this size have not been formally described in the literature.
Dinosaurs (Dinosauria)
- Sauropods (Sauropoda)
A mega-sauropod, Amphicoelias fragillimus, is a contender for the largest dinosaur in history. It has been estimated at 58 metres (190 ft) in length and 122400 kilograms (269,845.8 lb) in weight. Unfortunately, the fossil remains of this dinosaur have been lost. However, a titanosaur
Titanosaur
Titanosaurs were a diverse group of sauropod dinosaurs, which included Saltasaurus and Isisaurus. It includes some of the heaviest creatures ever to walk the earth, such as Argentinosaurus and Paralititan — which some believe have weighed up to 100 tonnes...
id, Bruhathkayosaurus
Bruhathkayosaurus
Bruhathkayosaurus might have been the largest dinosaur that ever lived. The accuracy of this claim, however, has been mired in controversy and debate...
has been estimated at 39.5–42.8 m (129.6–140.4 ft) in length, and 159–199.8 MT (175.3–220.2 ST) in weight, making it possibly larger than A. fragillimus and potentially rival the modern blue whale
Blue Whale
The blue whale is a marine mammal belonging to the suborder of baleen whales . At in length and or more in weight, it is the largest known animal to have ever existed....
in size. However, this animal is known from scanty evidence. Another notably large titanosaurid is Argentinosaurus
Argentinosaurus
Argentinosaurus is a genus of titanosaur sauropod dinosaur first discovered by Guillermo Heredia in Argentina. The generic name refers to the country in which it was discovered...
, which is known from partially preserved remains but a complete skeletal reconstruction is on display in Fernbank Museum of Natural History
Fernbank Museum of Natural History
Fernbank Museum of Natural History, in Atlanta, is a museum in that presents exhibitions and programming about natural history that are meant to entertain as well as educate the public. Its mission is to encourage a greater appreciation of the planet and its people...
. This sauropod has been estimated to be 30–37 m (98.4–121.4 ft) long and around 73–99 MT (80.5–109.1 ST) in weight. Some other sauropods, Supersaurus
Supersaurus
Supersaurus is a genus of diplodocid sauropod dinosaur discovered by Vivian Jones of Delta, Colorado, in the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation of Colorado in 1972. The fossil remains came from the Brushy Basin Member of the formation, dating to about 153 million years ago...
, Sauroposeidon
Sauroposeidon
Sauroposeidon is a genus of sauropod dinosaur known from four neck vertebrae that were found in the southeastern portion of the US state of Oklahoma. The fossils were found in rocks dating to the Early Cretaceous, a period when the sauropods of North America had diminished in both size and...
, and Seismosaurus (also known as Diplodocus hallorum) probably rival Argentinosaurus in size.
- Ornithopods (Ornithopoda)
The very largest ornithopods, like Shantungosaurus
Shantungosaurus
Shantungosaurus, meaning "Shandong Lizard", is a genus of saurolophine hadrosaurid dinosaurs found in the Late Cretaceous Wangshi Formation of the Shandong Peninsula in China.-Description:...
were as heavy as medium sized sauropods at up to 23 metric tons (25 short ton
Short ton
The short ton is a unit of mass equal to . In the United States it is often called simply ton without distinguishing it from the metric ton or the long ton ; rather, the other two are specifically noted. There are, however, some U.S...
s) but never grew far beyond 15 meters (50 feet). The largest is probably Shantungosaurus
Shantungosaurus
Shantungosaurus, meaning "Shandong Lizard", is a genus of saurolophine hadrosaurid dinosaurs found in the Late Cretaceous Wangshi Formation of the Shandong Peninsula in China.-Description:...
at 16.5 metres (54 ft) in length. However, "Lambeosaurus" laticaudus
Lambeosaurus
Lambeosaurus is a genus of hadrosaurid dinosaur that lived about 76 to 75 million years ago, in the Late Cretaceous Period of North America. This bipedal/quadrupedal, herbivorous dinosaur is known for its distinctive hollow cranial crest, which in the best-known species resembled a hatchet...
appears to be close contender at around 15–16.4 m (49.2–53.8 ft) in length.
- Theropods (Theropoda)
There is some controversy upon determining the largest theropod that ever existed due to preservational bias of fossils. The largest known theropod is Spinosaurus aegyptiacus
Spinosaurus
Spinosaurus is a genus of theropod dinosaur which lived in what is now North Africa, from the lower Albian to lower Cenomanian stages of the Cretaceous period, about 112 to 97 million years ago. This genus was first known from Egyptian remains discovered in 1912 and described by German...
, estimated at 15–17.4 m (49.2–57.1 ft) in length and around 7–9 MT (7.7–9.9 ST) in weight. Spinosaurus aegyptiacus is also recognized as the largest terrestrial predator yet known. A close contender in size is a giant theropod from South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, Giganotosaurus carolinii, whose holotype specimen is estimated at 12.5 metres (41 ft) in length, and another specimen is estimated at 13.5 metres (44 ft) in length. A study however presents Carcharodontosaurus
Carcharodontosaurus
Carcharodontosaurus was a gigantic carnivorous carcharodontosaurid dinosaur that lived around 100 to 93 million years ago, during the late Albian to early Cenomanian stages of the mid-Cretaceous Period...
as a close contender in size to Spinosaurus aegyptiacus. Some other notable giant theropods (e.g. Tyrannosaurus rex, Acrocanthosaurus
Acrocanthosaurus
Acrocanthosaurus is a genus of theropod dinosaur that existed in what is now North America during the Aptian and early Albian stages of the Early Cretaceous. Like most dinosaur genera, Acrocanthosaurus contains only a single species, A. atokensis. Its fossil remains are found mainly in the U.S...
, and Mapusaurus
Mapusaurus
Mapusaurus was a giant carnosaurian dinosaur from the early Late Cretaceous of what is now Argentina. It was similar in size to its close relative Giganotosaurus, with the largest known individuals estimated as over in length and weighing approximately...
) may also have rivaled these giant theropods in size. Another very large theropod was Deinocheirus
Deinocheirus
Deinocheirus is a genus of large theropod dinosaur, possibly an ornithomimosaurian, which lived in what is now southern Mongolia, during the late Cretaceous Period .-Discovery and naming:...
, being 3 metres (10 ft) tall at hips,
and weighing up to 19,841 pounds
Pound (mass)
The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
. The largest dromaeosaurid
Dromaeosauridae
Dromaeosauridae is a family of bird-like theropod dinosaurs. They were small- to medium-sized feathered carnivores that flourished in the Cretaceous Period. The name Dromaeosauridae means 'running lizards', from Greek dromeus meaning 'runner' and sauros meaning 'lizard'...
is Utahraptor
Utahraptor
Utahraptor is a genus of theropod dinosaurs, including the largest known members of the family Dromaeosauridae. Fossil specimens date to the upper Barremian stage of the early Cretaceous period...
. In addition to being the largest known dromaeosaurid, it was also the largest known deinonychosaur
Deinonychosauria
The Deinonychosauria were a clade of coelurosaurian theropod dinosaurs from the Late Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. These omnivores and carnivores are known for their switchblade-like second toe claws and for displaying numerous bird-like characteristics. The clade has been divided into two...
and the largest known paravian
Paraves
Paraves is a branch-based clade containing birds and other closely related dinosaurs. The paravians include the Avialae, including Archaeopteryx and modern birds, and the Deinonychosauria, which includes the dromaeosaurids and troodontids....
.
- Armoured dinosaurs (Thyreophora)
The largest thyreophoran was Ankylosaurus
Ankylosaurus
Ankylosaurus is a genus of ankylosaurid dinosaur, containing one species, A. magniventris...
at 9 metres (30 ft) in length and 6.5 tons in weight. Stegosaurus
Stegosaurus
Stegosaurus is a genus of armored stegosaurid dinosaur. They lived during the Late Jurassic period , some 155 to 150 million years ago in what is now western North America. In 2006, a specimen of Stegosaurus was announced from Portugal, showing that they were present in Europe as well...
was also 9 meters (30 ft) long but around 5 tons in weight.
- Ceratopsians (Ceratopsia)
The largest ceratopsian known is probably the newly discovered Eotriceratops xerinsularis
Eotriceratops
Eotriceratops is a genus of ceratopsian dinosaur which lived during the late Cretaceous period. Its fossils have been found in the uppermost Horseshoe Canyon Formation, dating to about 67.6 million years ago. Its skull is reported to have been around 3 metres long...
with a skull alone being 3 metres (10 ft) in length. Maximum size of this ceratopsian is suggested to be around 12 metres (39 ft) in length and 13 tonnes in weight. A more conservative size estimate puts its length at 9 metres (30 ft), on par with Triceratops
Triceratops
Triceratops is a genus of herbivorous ceratopsid dinosaur which lived during the late Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous Period, around 68 to 65 million years ago in what is now North America. It was one of the last dinosaur genera to appear before the great Cretaceous–Paleogene...
.
Birds (Aves)
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
. Of almost the same size was the Australian Dromornis stirtoni. Both were about 3 m tall (10 ft). The elephant birds were up to 400 kg and Dromornis stirtoni was up to 500 kg in weight. The tallest bird ever was the Giant Moa
Giant moa
The giant moa is an extinct genus of ratite birds belonging to the moa family. Like all ratites it was a member of the order Struthioniformes. The Struthioniformes are flightless birds with a sternum without a keel. They also have a distinctive palate...
(Dinornis maximus) at 12 ft tall.
The largest flight-capable bird was Argentavis magnificens which a wingspan of 8.3 m (28 ft), and a body weight of 110 kg (244 lb).
- Waterfowl (AnseriformesAnseriformesThe order Anseriformes contains about 150 living species of birds in three extant families: the Anhimidae , Anseranatidae , and the Anatidae, which includes over 140 species of waterfowl, among them the ducks, geese, and swans.All species in the order are highly adapted for an aquatic existence at...
)
The largest waterfowl of all time belonged to the Dromornithidae
Dromornithidae
Dromornithidae — the dromornithids — were a family of large, flightless Australian birds of the Oligocene through Pleistocene epochs. All are now extinct. They were long classified in the order Struthioniformes, but are now usually classified as a family of Anseriformes1...
(e.g. Dromornis stirtoni).
- Shorebirds (CharadriiformesCharadriiformesCharadriiformes is a diverse order of small to medium-large birds. It includes about 350 species and has members in all parts of the world. Most Charadriiformes live near water and eat invertebrates or other small animals; however, some are pelagic , some occupy deserts and a few are found in thick...
)
The largest shorebird of all time was the Great Auk
Great Auk
The Great Auk, Pinguinus impennis, formerly of the genus Alca, was a large, flightless alcid that became extinct in the mid-19th century. It was the only modern species in the genus Pinguinus, a group of birds that formerly included one other species of flightless giant auk from the Atlantic Ocean...
(Pinguinus impennis) at 5 kg (11 lb) in weight and 75–85 cm (30–34 in) in length.
- Storks & allies (CiconiiformesCiconiiformesTraditionally, the order Ciconiiformes has included a variety of large, long-legged wading birds with large bills: storks, herons, egrets, ibises, spoonbills, and several others. Ciconiiformes are known from the Late Eocene...
)
The largest of Ciconiiformes was Leptoptilos robustus
Leptoptilos robustus
Leptoptilos robustus or Flores Flightless Stork is an extinct species of stork from the Flores island chain in Indonesia. It was tall and weighed an estimated . Since the bones in the legs and body are very heavy, it is assumed that it rarely, if ever, flew.-References:*...
, standing 1.8 metres (5.9 ft) tall and weighing an estimated 16 kilograms (35.3 lb).
- Falconiforms (FalconiformesFalconiformesThe order Falconiformes is a group of about 290 species of birds that comprises the diurnal birds of prey. Raptor classification is difficult and the order is treated in several ways.- Classification problems :...
)
The largest falconiform and the largest flying bird presently known was Argentavis magnificens. The immense bird had wingspan estimated up to 8.3 m (28 ft) and a weight up to 110 kg (244 lb). It was as high as an adult human when standing.
- Pigeons (ColumbiformesColumbiformesColumbiformes are an avian order that includes the very widespread and successful doves and pigeons, classified in the family Columbidae, and the extinct Dodo and the Rodrigues Solitaire, long classified as a second family Raphidae. 313 species, found worldwide, comprise the Columbiformes order....
)
The largest pigeon ever was the Dodo
Dodo
The dodo was a flightless bird endemic to the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius. Related to pigeons and doves, it stood about a meter tall, weighing about , living on fruit, and nesting on the ground....
(Raphus cucullatus), weighing 23 kg (50 lb) and standing 1 m (3.3 ft) tall.
- Hesperornithines (HesperornithesHesperornithesHesperornithes is an extinct and highly specialized clade of Cretaceous toothed birds. Hesperornithine birds, apparently limited to former aquatic habitats in the Northern Hemisphere, include genera such as Hesperornis, Parahesperornis, Baptornis, Enaliornis, and probably Potamornis, all...
)
The largest of the hesperornithines was Canadaga arctica at 5 ft long.
- Diatrymas (GastornithiformesGastornithiformesGastornithiformes are an order of prehistoric birds. The birds from this group lived from the Paleocene to the Eocene and were spread out across Asia, Europe, and North America. All the birds were very large birds that were flightless, similar to an ostrich but more heavily built and with a huge...
)
The largest diatryma was Gastornis
Gastornis
Gastornis is an extinct genus of large flightless bird that lived during the late Paleocene and Eocene epochs of the Cenozoic. It was named in 1855, after Gaston Planté, who had discovered the first fossils in Argile Plastique formation deposits at Meudon near Paris...
1.75 metres (5.7 ft) tall, with large individuals up to 2 m (6.6 ft) tall.
- Teratorns (TeratornithidaeTeratornithidaeTeratorns were very large birds of prey that lived in North and South America from Miocene to Pleistocene. They include some of the largest known flying birds. So far, at least four species have been identified:*Teratornis merriami . This is by far the best-known species...
)
The largest teratorn and the largest flying bird ever was Argentavis
Argentavis
Argentavis magnificens is the largest flying bird ever discovered. This bird, sometimes called the Giant Teratorn, is an extinct species known from three sites from the late Miocene of central and northwestern Argentina, where a good sample of fossils has been obtained.The humerus of...
, with a weight of 80 kilograms (176.4 lb).
- Phorusrhacids (PhorusrhacidaePhorusrhacidaePhorusrhacids , colloquially known as "terror birds" as the larger species were apex predators during the Miocene, were a clade of large carnivorous flightless birds that were the dominant predators in South America during the Cenozoic, 62–2 million years ago. They were roughly 1–3 meters tall...
)
The largest ever gruiform and largest phorusrhacid or "terror bird" (highly predatory, flightless birds of South America) was Brontornis
Brontornis
Brontornis was a genus of giant flightless predatory birds that lived in Patagonia. The only species currently accepted as valid is B. burmeisteri...
, which was about 175cm tall at the shoulder, could raise its head 2,8 metres above the ground an could have weighed as uch as 400kg. The immense phorushacid Kelenken
Kelenken
Kelenken is an extinct genus of giant flightless predatory birds of the family Phorusrhacidae or "terror birds".These birds lived in the Middle Miocene, some 15 million years ago, in Argentina along with Argentavis. With a skull 28 inches long , it had the largest head of any known bird...
with a skull 28 inches (71 cm) long (18 inches of which was beak), had the largest head of any known bird.
- Accipitriforms (AccipitriformesAccipitriformesThe Accipitriformes is an order that has been proposed to include most of the diurnal birds of prey: hawks, eagles, vultures, and many others, about 225 species in all. For a long time, the majority view has been to include them with the falcons in the Falconiformes, but some authorities have...
)
The largest bird of prey ever was the enormous Haast's eagle
Haast's Eagle
Haast's Eagle was a species of massive eagles that once lived on the South Island of New Zealand. The species was the largest eagle known to have existed. Its prey consisted mainly of gigantic flightless birds that were unable to defend themselves from the striking force and speed of these eagles,...
(Harpagornis moorei), with a wingspan of 2.6 to 3 m (8 to 10 ft), relatively short for their size. Total length was probably up to 1.4 m (4.7 ft) in female and they weighed about 10 to 15 kg (22 to 33 Ib).
- Gamebirds (GalliformesGalliformesGalliformes are an order of heavy-bodied ground-feeding domestic or game bird, containing turkey, grouse, chicken, New and Old World Quail, ptarmigan, partridge, pheasant, and the Cracidae. Common names are gamefowl or gamebirds, landfowl, gallinaceous birds or galliforms...
)
The largest in this group was a giant flightless Sylviornis
Sylviornis
Sylviornis is an extinct genus of galliform bird containing a single species, S. neocaledoniae, or erroneously, "New Caledonian Giant Megapode". Technically, the latter is incorrect because it has recently been found not to be a megapode, but the sole known member of its own family, the...
, a bird 1.70 m (5.6 ft) long and weighing up to about 30 kg (66 lb).
- Songbirds (Passeriformes)
The largest songbird is the extinct Giant Grosbeak
Giant Grosbeak
The King Kong Grosbeak is a prehistoric species of finch in the Hawaiian honeycreeper subfamily, Drepanididae, that was endemic to Hawaii. It had the largest beak of the three Chloridops species known to have existed. The King Kong Grosbeak was described from fossils found at Barber's Point and...
(Chloridops regiskongi) at 11 inches (27.9 cm) long.
- Bony-toothed birds (Odontopterygiformes)
The largest in this group – which has been variously allied with Procellariiformes, Pelecaniformes and Anseriformes – and the largest flying birds of all time other than Argentavis were the huge Cyphornis
Cyphornis
Cyphornis is a genus of the prehistoric pseudotooth birds. These were probably rather close relatives of either pelicans and storks, or of waterfowl, and are here placed in the order Odontopterygiformes to account for this uncertainty.-Description:...
, Dasornis
Dasornis
Dasornis is a genus of the prehistoric pseudotooth birds. These were probably rather close relatives of either pelicans and storks, or of waterfowl, and are here placed in the order Odontopterygiformes to account for this uncertainty....
, Gigantornis
Gigantornis
Gigantornis eaglesomei was a giant prehistoric bird, described from a fragmentary specimen from the Eocene of Nigeria. It was considered to be a representative of the albatross family , but was later referred to the bony-toothed birds,...
and Osteodontornis
Osteodontornis
Osteodontornis is an extinct seabird genus. It contains a single named species, Osteodontornis orri , which was described quite exactly one century after the first species of the Pelagornithidae was. O...
. They had a wingspan of 5.5–6 m (18–20 ft) and stood about 1.2 meters (4.5 ft) tall. Exact size estimates and judging which one was largest are not yet possible for these birds, as their bones were extremely thin-walled, light and fragile, and thus most are only known from very incomplete remains.
- Woodpeckers & allies (PiciformesPiciformesNine families of largely arboreal birds make up the order Piciformes, the best-known of them being the Picidae, which includes the woodpeckers and close relatives...
)
The largest woodpecker is the possibly extinct Imperial Woodpecker
Imperial Woodpecker
The Imperial Woodpecker is – or was – a member of the woodpecker family Picidae. If it is not extinct, it is the world's largest woodpecker species at 56-60 cm long...
(Campephilus imperialis) with a total length of about 22 inches (50 centimeters). The largest woodpecker confirmed to be extant is the Great Slaty Woodpecker (Mulleripicus pulverulentus).
- Parrots (Psittaciformes)
The largest parrot is the extinct Norfolk Island Kaka
Norfolk Island Kaka
| name = Norfolk Kaka| image = Nestor productus.jpg| image_width = 250px| image_caption = Specimen in La Specola| status = EX | status_system = IUCN3.1| extinct = 1851?| regnum = Animalia| phylum = Chordata| classis = Aves| ordo = Psittaciformes...
(Nestor productus), about 38 cm long.
- Penguins (Sphenisciformes)
The largest penguin of all time was Anthropornis nordenskjoeldi
Anthropornis nordenskjoeldi
Anthropornis is a genus of giant penguin that lived 37-45 million years ago, during the Late Eocene and the earliest part of the Oligocene. It reached in height and in weight. Fossils of it have been found on Seymour Island off the coast of Antarctica and in New Zealand...
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and Antarctica. It stood 1.7 meters (5 ft 6.9 in) in height and was 90 kilograms (198 lb) in weight. Similar in size were the New Zealand Giant Penguin (Pachydyptes pondeorsus) with a height of 1.4 to 1.6 m (about 5 ft) and weighing around 80 to possibly over 100 kg
Kilogram
The kilogram or kilogramme , also known as the kilo, is the base unit of mass in the International System of Units and is defined as being equal to the mass of the International Prototype Kilogram , which is almost exactly equal to the mass of one liter of water...
, and Icadyptes salasi
Icadyptes salasi
Icadyptes salasi was a giant penguin species from the late Eocene period, in the tropics of South America. "Ica" for the Peruvian region where it was found, "dyptes" from the Greek word for diver, and "salasi" for Rodolfo Salas, a noted Peruvian paleontologist.The fossilised remains of the penguin,...
at 1.5 m (5 ft) tall.
- Owls (Strigiformes)
The largest owl of all time was the Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n Ornimegalonyx at 43.3 inches tall probably exceeding 9 kg (20 lb).
Amphibians (Amphibia)
Temnospondyli
Temnospondyli is a diverse order of small to giant tetrapods—often considered primitive amphibians—that flourished worldwide during the Carboniferous, Permian, and Triassic periods. A few species continued into the Cretaceous. Fossils have been found on every continent...
Prionosuchus
Prionosuchus
Prionosuchus is a genus of extremely large temnospondyl amphibians from the Late Permian which was found in an area of what is now Brazil.-Description:...
.
Another huge temnospondyli was Koolasuchus
Koolasuchus
Koolasuchus is an extinct genus of brachyopoid temnospondyl in the family Chigutisauridae. Fossils have been found from Victoria, Australia and date back 120 Ma to the Aptian stage of the Early Cretaceous. Koolasuchus is the latest known temnospondyl. Koolasuchus is known from several fragments of...
at 16 ft long, but only 1 ft high.
- Frogs (Anura)
The largest frog ever was the 16 inches (40.6 cm) Beelzebufo ampinga, weighing 10 pounds (4.5 kg)
- Diadectomorpha
The largest diacectid, Diadectes
Diadectes
Diadectes was a genus of large, very reptile-like amphibians that lived during the early Permian period...
, was a heavily built animal, 1.5 to 3 meters long, with thick vertebrae and ribs.
- Anthracosauria
The largest anthracosaur was Anthracosaurus
Anthracosaurus
Anthracosaurus is an extinct genus of labyrinthodont that lived in the Carboniferous period. Anthracosaurus belongs to the suborder of Embolomeri....
, a predator. It could reach up to 12 feet in length. Eogyrinus
Eogyrinus
Eogyrinus was one of the largest Carboniferous tetrapods, and perhaps one of the largest of its family, Eogyrinidae, at in length....
commonly reached 4.6 metres (15.1 ft), however, it was more lightly built.
Bony fish (Osteichthyes)
- Placoderms (Placodermi)
The largest placoderm was the 8.5 metres (27.9 ft) long Dunkleosteus
Dunkleosteus
Dunkleosteus is a genus of prehistoric fish, one of the largest arthrodire placoderms ever to have lived, existing during the Late Devonian period, about 380-360 million years ago.This hunter, measuring up to and weighing , was a hypercarnivorous apex predator...
.
- Lobe-finned fish (Sarcopterygii)
The largest of these was the 5 metres (16.4 ft) long Hyneria
Hyneria
Hyneria was a prehistoric predatory lobe-finned fish that lived during the Devonian period around 360 million years ago. It was approximately 4 meters in length and weighed as much as two tons...
.
- Ray-finned fish (Actinopterygii)
The largest bony fish of all time was the pachycormid, Leedsichthys problematicus, at around 16 metres (52 ft) long. Claims of larger individuals persist.
- Ichthyodectid (Ichthyodectidae)
The largest of ichthyodectid fish was the 5 metres (16.4 ft) long Xiphactinus
Xiphactinus
Xiphactinus was a large, 4.5 to 6 m long predatory bony fish that lived in the Western Interior Sea, over what is now the middle of North America, during the Late Cretaceous. When alive, the fish would have resembled a gargantuan, fanged tarpon...
.
Cartilaginous fish (Chondrichthyes)
- Mackerel sharks (Lamniformes)
An extinct megatoothed shark
Shark
Sharks are a type of fish with a full cartilaginous skeleton and a highly streamlined body. The earliest known sharks date from more than 420 million years ago....
, C. megalodon
Megalodon
The megalodon and ὀδούς ) is an extinct species of shark that lived roughly from 28 to 1.5 million years ago, during the Cenozoic Era .The taxonomic assignment of C...
is by far the biggest shark known. This giant shark reached a total length (TL) of more than 16 metres (52.5 ft). C. megalodon may have approached a maxima of 20.3 metres (66.6 ft) in total length and 103 metric tons (114 ST) in mass.
- Symmoriid (Symmoriida)
The largest symmoriid is Stethacanthus
Stethacanthus
Stethacanthus is an extinct genus of shark which lived in the Early Carboniferous epoch, around 360 million years ago. Fossils have been found in Europe and North America....
at 2 metres (6.6 ft) long.
- Eugenedont (Eugenedonta)
The largest eugenedont is Helicoprion
Helicoprion
Helicoprion was a long-lived genus of shark-like cartilaginous fish that first arose in the oceans of the late Carboniferous , survived the Permian-Triassic Extinction Event, and eventually went extinct during the early Triassic some ....
at 10 metres (32.8 ft) long.
Dinocaridida
- Radiodont (Radiodonta)
The largest known is Anomalocaris
Anomalocaris
Anomalocaris is an extinct genus of anomalocaridid, which are, in turn, thought to be closely related to the arthropods. The first fossils of Anomalocaris were discovered in the Ogygopsis Shale by Joseph Frederick Whiteaves, with more examples found by Charles Doolittle Walcott in the famed...
at 1 meter long.
Chelicerata
- Eurypterids (Eurypterida)
The largest in this group was Jaekelopterus rhenaniae
Jaekelopterus rhenaniae
Jaekelopterus rhenaniae is an extinct species of the Eurypterida . At an estimated length of 2.5 meters , it is one of the two largest arthropods ever discovered...
at 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) in length. A close contender was Pterygotus
Pterygotus
Pterygotus is the second-largest known eurypterid, or sea scorpion and one of the largest arthropods of all time.-Description:...
at 2.3 metres (7.5 ft) in length.
- Arachnids (Arachnida)
There are two contenders for largest ever arachnid
Arachnid
Arachnids are a class of joint-legged invertebrate animals in the subphylum Chelicerata. All arachnids have eight legs, although in some species the front pair may convert to a sensory function. The term is derived from the Greek words , meaning "spider".Almost all extant arachnids are terrestrial...
: Pulmonoscorpius kirktonensis and Brontoscorpio anglicus. Both were 1 metres (3.3 ft). The biggest difference is that Brontoscorpio was aquatic, and Pulmonoscorpius was terrestrial. Brontoscorpio is not to be confused with various Eurypterids: it was a true scorpion with a stinger.
Myriapoda
- Centipedes (Chilopoda)
The largest centipede
Centipede
Centipedes are arthropods belonging to the class Chilopoda of the subphylum Myriapoda. They are elongated metameric animals with one pair of legs per body segment. Despite the name, centipedes can have a varying number of legs from under 20 to over 300. Centipedes have an odd number of pairs of...
of all time was Euphoberia
Euphoberia
Euphoberia is an extinct genus of myriapod. With a length of 1 m , it was about four times the length of the largest modern-day species, Scolopendra gigantea. Fossils are found in Europe and North America....
at 1 metres (3.3 ft). It was about four times as long as the largest living species, Scolopendra gigantea
Scolopendra gigantea
Scolopendra gigantea is the largest representative of the genus Scolopendra, regularly reaching lengths of and can exceed . It inhabits the northern and western regions of South America and the islands of Trinidad, Puerto Rico, Saint Thomas, U.S...
.
- Millipedes (Diplopoda)
The largest by far was the giant Arthropleura
Arthropleura
Arthropleura was a 0.3–2.6 metre long relative of centipedes and millipedes, native to the Upper Carboniferous of what is now northeastern North America and Scotland...
. Measuring 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) and 45 centimetres (17.7 in) wide, it was the largest terrestrial arthropod
Arthropod
An arthropod is an invertebrate animal having an exoskeleton , a segmented body, and jointed appendages. Arthropods are members of the phylum Arthropoda , and include the insects, arachnids, crustaceans, and others...
of all time.
Trilobitomorpha
- Trilobites (Trilobita)
Some of these extinct marine arthropods exceeded 60 centimetres (23.6 in) in length. A nearly complete specimen of Isotelus rex
Isotelus
Isotelus is a genus of asaphid trilobite from the middle and upper Ordovician period, fairly common in the Northeastern United States, northwest Manitoba, southwestern Quebec and southeastern Ontario...
from Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
attained a length over 70 centimetres (27.6 in), and a Ogyginus forteyi from Portugal was almost as long. Fragments of trilobites suggest even larger record sizes. An isolated pygidium
Pygidium
The pygidium is the posterior body part or shield of crustaceans and some other arthropods, such as insects and the extinct trilobites. It contains the anus and, in females, the ovipositor...
of Hungioides bohemicus implies that the full animal was 90 centimetres (35.4 in) long.
Insects (Insecta)
- Sawflies, wasps, bees, ants & allies (Hymenoptera)
The largest of this group was the giant ant Titanomyrma giganteum
Titanomyrma
Titanomyrma was a genus of giant ant. The latest species to be discovered, T. lubei, was described in 2011, when a fossilized winged queen ant, comparable in size to hummingbirds, was found in Wyoming. This fossil is the first body of a giant ant found in the Western Hemisphere...
at 3 centimetres (1.2 in), with queens
Eusociality
Eusociality is a term used for the highest level of social organization in a hierarchical classification....
growing to 6 centimetres (2.4 in). It had a wingspan of 15 centimetres (5.9 in).
- Protodonata
The largest in this group was probably Meganeura
Meganeura
Meganeura is a genus of extinct insects from the Carboniferous period approximately 300 million years ago, which resembled and are related to the present-day dragonflies. With wingspans of more than 75 cm , M. monyi is one of the largest known flying insect species; the Permian Meganeuropsis...
with a wingspan of 75 centimetres (2.5 ft). Another enormous and possibly larger species was Meganeuropsis permiana
Meganeuropsis permiana
Meganeuropsis is an extinct genus of griffenfly, order Protodonata, known from the Early Permian of North America, and represents the biggest known insect of all times. The genus includes two described species:...
.
- Siphonaptera
The largest in this group was probably Saurophthirus
Saurophthirus
Saurophthirus is an extinct genus of flea.-Description:It was 2.50 cm long and possibly sucked the blood of pterosaurs in the Cretaceous, in the way that bat fleas feed on bat blood today.-In popular culture:...
, growing to 1 inches (2.5 cm) in length. It possibly sucked the blood
Blood
Blood is a specialized bodily fluid in animals that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells....
of pterosaur
Pterosaur
Pterosaurs were flying reptiles of the clade or order Pterosauria. They existed from the late Triassic to the end of the Cretaceous Period . Pterosaurs are the earliest vertebrates known to have evolved powered flight...
s.
- Palaeodictyoptera
The largest of this order was Mazothairos, with a wingspan of up to 22 inches (55.9 cm).
- Dictyoptera
Several cockroach-like stem dictyoptera
Dictyoptera
Dictyoptera includes three groups of polyneopterous insects - cockroaches , termites and mantids...
ns from the Carboniferous
Carboniferous
The Carboniferous is a geologic period and system that extends from the end of the Devonian Period, about 359.2 ± 2.5 Mya , to the beginning of the Permian Period, about 299.0 ± 0.8 Mya . The name is derived from the Latin word for coal, carbo. Carboniferous means "coal-bearing"...
Period grew to exceptional size. A specimen of Xenoblatta from Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
was at least 70 mm long, almost the size of the largest cockroach living today.
Molluscs (Mollusca)
Gastropods (Gastropoda)
- Snails and slugs (Gastropoda)
The largest of this group were in the genus Campanile
Campanile (gastropod)
Campanile is a genus of large sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Campanilidae.-Species:Species within the genus Campanile include:* † Campanile auvertianum* † Campanile claytonense* † Campanile cornucopiae...
, with the extinct Campanile giganteum
Campanile giganteum
†Campanile giganteum is a species of exceptionally large fossil sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Campanilidae. This species dates from the Eocene epoch. With a shell length of 40 to 60 cm this is considered to be one of the largest species of shelled gastropod that ever lived...
having shell lengths up to 60 centimetres (23.6 in).
Bivalves (Bivalvia)
- Bivalves (Bivalvia)
The largest bivalve ever was Platyceramus platinus, a giant that usually had an axial length of 1 metres (3.3 ft), but some individuals could reach an axial length of up to 3 metres (9.8 ft).
Cephalopods (Cephalopoda)
- Ammonites (Ammonoidea)
The largest ammonite was Parapuzosia seppenradensis
Parapuzosia seppenradensis
Parapuzosia seppenradensis is the largest known species of ammonite. It lived during the Late Cretaceous period. A specimen found in Germany in 1895 measures 1.95 m in diameter, although the living chamber is incomplete. It is estimated that if complete, this specimen would have had a diameter of...
. A partial fossil specimen found in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
had a shell diameter of 1.95 metres (6.4 ft), but the living chamber was incomplete, so the estimated shell diameter was probably about 2.55 metres (8.4 ft) when it was alive.
- Belemnites (Belemnoidea)
The largest belemnite was Megateuthis gigantea
Megateuthis gigantea
Megateuthis gigantea is the largest known belemnite species. The guard of M. gigantea, which has been found in Europe and Asia, can measure up to 46 centimetres in length , giving the living animal an estimated length of 3 metres ....
with a guard of 46 centimetres (18.1 in) in length and an estimated total length 3 metres (9.8 ft) long.
- Nautiloids (Nautiloidea)
The longest and largest of this group was Cameroceras with a shell length of 9 metres (29.5 ft).
- Neocoleoidea
Both Tusoteuthis
Tusoteuthis
Tusoteuthis is a genus of Cretaceous cephalopod molluscs. One species, T. longa, has been identified so far, and examination of gladius remains has yielded an estimated mantle length close to or equal to that of the modern giant squid. Recent studies have seen the vampire squid as a more likely...
and Yezoteuthis are estimated to be similar in size to the modern day giant squid
Giant squid
The giant squid is a deep-ocean dwelling squid in the family Architeuthidae, represented by as many as eight species...
.http://www.tonmo.com/science/fossils/cretaceousGS.php