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Extinct animals
133
items I and all of you love animals. But as we all know almost every day we lost some species because of human fault and climate change which is also human fault. So here I will make a list of many already extinct animals. People must see how they were bea...
Sections
6
Mammals
Birds
Reptiles
Amphibians
Fish
Invertebrates
Mammals
Mamas will be the main and biggest list of extinct animals.
The woolly mammoth, one of the most iconic extinct species, roamed the Earth during the Ice Age. Known for its thick fur, long tusks, and large size, this herbivore primarily inhabited cold tundras in the Northern Hemisphere. Extinction is believed t...
Woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius)
The saber-toothed cat, or Smilodon, was a powerful predator with long, curved canine teeth. It lived in North and South America during the Pleistocene Epoch. This fearsome hunter went extinct around 10,000 years ago, likely due to changes in prey ava...
Saber-Toothed Tiger (Smilodon)
The Tasmanian tiger, or thylacine, was a carnivorous marsupial native to Tasmania, Australia, and New Guinea. Despite resembling a canine, it was more closely related to kangaroos. The last known thylacine died in captivity in 1936, primarily due to ...
Thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus)
Steller's sea cow was a massive marine mammal related to modern manatees and dugongs. It was discovered in the North Pacific in the 18th century and hunted to extinction within just a few decades after its discovery.
Steller's sea cow (Hydrodamalis gigas)
The quagga was a subspecies of plains zebra native to South Africa, recognizable by its partial striping on the front half of its body. Overhunting and competition with livestock led to its extinction in the late 19th century.
Quagga (Equus quagga quagga)
The Caribbean monk seal, once native to the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, was a marine mammal that thrived in tropical environments. Known for its sleek, dark gray or brown body and distinctive whiskered face, this species ...
Caribbean Monk Seal (Neomonachus tropicalis)
The Pyrenean ibex was a species of wild goat native to the Pyrenees mountains. Overhunting led to its extinction in the early 2000s, though it briefly became the first species to undergo "de-extinction" through cloning, although the clone did not sur...
Pyrenean Ibex (Capra pyrenaica pyrenaica)
The Javan tiger was a small subspecies of tiger that lived exclusively on the island of Java in Indonesia. It was characterized by its narrow stripes and compact size compared to other tiger subspecies. Once widespread in the island’s dense forests, ...
Javan Tiger (Panthera tigris sondaica)
100% extinct but not jet confirmed. There were sightings, but not proved ones.
Baiji (Yangtze River Dolphin) (Lipotes vexillifer)
The Irish elk, also known as the giant deer, was one of the largest deer species ever to exist. It had massive antlers spanning up to 12 feet across. Native to Europe and Asia, it went extinct around 7,700 years ago, possibly due to habitat loss and ...
Irish elk
The largest marsupial to ever live, Diprotodon resembled a giant wombat. It roamed the forests and grasslands of Australia during the Pleistocene. Its extinction, about 46,000 years ago, may have been caused by human hunting or climate change.
Diprotodon
Glyptodon was a large, armored mammal related to modern armadillos. It lived in South America and resembled a giant tortoise with a solid, protective shell. Glyptodons became extinct around 10,000 years ago, possibly due to human hunting and climate ...
Glyptodon
Andrewsarchus was a large, carnivorous mammal that lived during the Eocene Epoch. It had a massive skull and powerful jaws, making it one of the largest known land predators of its time. Fossil evidence suggests it may have preyed on other large mamm...
Andrewsarchus
The American mastodon was similar in appearance to the woolly mammoth but with distinct features such as straighter tusks. It roamed North America until its extinction about 10,000 years ago, likely due to overhunting by humans and environmental chan...
American mastodon
Thylacosmilus was a saber-toothed marsupial predator that lived in South America during the Miocene to Pliocene epochs. It resembled the saber-toothed cats of North America but belonged to a completely different lineage. Thylacosmilus went extinct mi...
Thylacosmilus
Baluchitherium, also known as Paraceratherium, was the largest land mammal that ever lived. This hornless rhinoceros roamed Asia during the Oligocene epoch, standing nearly 16 feet tall at the shoulder. It went extinct around 23 million years ago, po...
Baluchitherium (Paraceratherium)
A large ground sloth that lived in North America, Harlan’s ground sloth was a slow-moving herbivore. It was well-adapted to its environment but went extinct around 11,000 years ago, likely due to human hunting and climatic changes.
Harlan's ground sloth
The cave lion was a large predatory cat that lived in Europe and Asia during the Ice Age. It was closely related to the modern lion but much larger. The cave lion went extinct about 12,000 years ago, potentially due to a decline in prey and changing ...
Eurasian Cave Lion
The short-faced bear was one of the largest terrestrial carnivores of the Pleistocene, standing over 11 feet tall when on its hind legs. This massive bear roamed North America and became extinct around 11,000 years ago, possibly due to competition wi...
Short-faced bears
Palaeoloxodon antiquus was a species of large, straight-tusked elephant that lived in Europe and Asia during the Pleistocene. These elephants could reach heights of up to 15 feet at the shoulder. They went extinct due to climate change and human acti...
Straight-tusked elephant
Megatherium was one of the largest land mammals, standing up to 20 feet tall when upright. It lived in South America and fed on plants, using its large claws to pull down vegetation. It became extinct around 10,000 years ago, likely due to human acti...
Megatherium
Native to Thailand, Schomburgk’s deer was a graceful species known for its distinctive, antlered males. The last individual was killed in the early 20th century, with habitat loss and overhunting contributing to the species’ extinction.
Schomburgk's deer
The dire wolf was a large, robust predator that roamed North and South America during the Pleistocene Epoch. Known for hunting large herbivores, the dire wolf went extinct about 10,000 years ago, likely due to environmental changes and competition wi...
Dire wolf (Canis dirus)
The bluebuck was a species of antelope native to South Africa. It was the first large African mammal to become extinct in modern times, disappearing in the late 18th century due to overhunting and habitat destruction.
Bluebuck (Hippotragus leucophaeus)
Birds
Here is a list of extinct birds from various periods, along with descriptions of their unique characteristics and roles in their ecosystems:
Time Period: Holocene (17th century extinction) The dodo, native to Mauritius, was a flightless bird about 1 meter tall. It had a large, hooked beak, and its diet likely consisted of fruits and seeds. The dodo’s extinction was primarily due to human ...
Dodo (Raphus cucullatus)
Time Period: Holocene (1914 extinction) Passenger pigeons were once among the most abundant bird species in North America, traveling in enormous flocks. They had a streamlined body and long tail, which made them fast flyers. Overhunting and habitat d...
Passenger pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius)
Time Period: Holocene (1844 extinction) The Great Auk was a large, flightless bird that lived in the North Atlantic. It stood about 75 cm tall and was excellent at swimming, using its wings to dive for fish. The bird was hunted to extinction for its ...
Great Auk (Pinguinus impennis)
Time Period: Holocene (1930s extinction) The Carolina Parakeet was the only parrot species native to the eastern United States. It had bright green feathers with a yellow head and red around the face. This bird was driven to extinction due to habitat...
Carolina Parakeet (Conuropsis carolinensis)
Time Period: Holocene (15th century extinction) The moa were a group of large, flightless birds native to New Zealand. Some species reached heights of up to 3.6 meters. Moas were herbivores, feeding on shrubs, leaves, and fruit. They went extinct due...
Moa (Dinornithiformes)
Time Period: Holocene (15th century extinction) Haast’s eagle was the largest eagle known to have existed, with a wingspan of up to 3 meters. Native to New Zealand, it preyed primarily on the now-extinct moa. The extinction of its primary food source...
Haast's Eagle (Hieraaetus moorei)
A small forest bird from the Hawaiian island of Kauaʻi, it became extinct in the late 20th century due to habitat destruction, invasive species, and diseases brought by mosquitoes. The last known individual died in 1987.
Kauaʻi ʻōʻō
Time Period: Holocene (17th century extinction) Elephant birds were massive, flightless birds native to Madagascar. Some species were over 3 meters tall and weighed up to 500 kg, making them among the largest birds ever. These herbivorous birds went ...
Elephant Bird (Aepyornis maximus)
Time Period: Cenozoic Era (62 to 2 million years ago) Terror birds were a group of large, flightless predatory birds that lived in South America. Some species, like Titanis walleri, stood over 2.5 meters tall. They had strong legs for running and a p...
Terror Birds (Phorusrhacidae)
Time Period: Holocene (1875 extinction) The Labrador Duck was a small sea duck that lived along the coasts of North America. It had a distinctive, flat beak, which it used to forage for shellfish and crustaceans. Overhunting and habitat loss contribu...
Labrador Duck (Camptorhynchus labradorius)
Time Period: Holocene (1850 extinction) The Spectacled Cormorant was a large, flightless seabird native to the Bering Island. It had a bulky body and long neck, making it an excellent swimmer and diver. It was driven to extinction by overhunting and ...
Spectacled Cormorant (Phalacrocorax perspicillatus)
Time Period: Holocene (1890s extinction) The Stephens Island Wren was a small, flightless bird native to New Zealand. It was wiped out within a few years of its discovery, primarily by feral cats introduced to Stephens Island. The species is notable ...
Stephens Island Wren (Traversia lyalli)
Time Period: Holocene (15th century extinction) Giant moa were the largest species of moa in New Zealand, reaching up to 3.6 meters in height. These flightless herbivores lived in forests and grasslands, feeding on a variety of plants. They went exti...
Giant Moa (Dinornis robustus)
Time Period: Holocene (18th century extinction) The Rodrigues Solitaire was a flightless bird closely related to the dodo, native to Rodrigues Island in the Indian Ocean. It was about the size of a turkey and had a unique, bony knob on its wings, pos...
Rodrigues Solitaire (Pezophaps solitaria)
Time Period: Holocene (16th century extinction) The New Zealand Swan was a large, flightless bird related to modern swans. It inhabited freshwater lakes and rivers on New Zealand’s North and South Islands. The species was driven to extinction by hunt...
New Zealand Swan (Cygnus sumnerensis)
Time Period: Holocene (18th century extinction) The Reunion Ibis, or Reunion Sacred Ibis, was a flightless bird endemic to the island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean. It had a curved beak and was closely related to modern ibises. The bird’s extinction...
Reunion Ibis (Threskiornis solitarius)
Time Period: Holocene (15th century extinction) The St. Helena Petrel was a seabird endemic to the island of St. Helena in the South Atlantic. It had long, narrow wings for gliding over the ocean. Human colonization of the island, along with the intr...
St. Helena Petrel (Pterodroma rupinarum)
Time Period: Holocene (500 years ago extinction) Moa-nalos were large, flightless ducks native to the Hawaiian Islands. They were herbivores, feeding on grasses and shrubs, and evolved to have thick bills. The introduction of humans and non-native an...
Moa-nalo (Chelychelynechen quassus)
Time Period: Holocene (19th century extinction) The Tahiti Rail was a small, flightless bird native to Tahiti in the Pacific Ocean. It had a slender body and long legs, and it was well-adapted to life in dense undergrowth. The introduction of rats an...
Tahiti Rail (Gallirallus pacificus)
Time Period: Holocene (17th century extinction) The Broad-billed Parrot was a large, flightless parrot endemic to Mauritius. It had a large, robust beak, which it used to crack open hard seeds and nuts. The bird became extinct due to hunting and defo...
Broad-billed Parrot (Lophopsittacus mauritianus)
Time Period: Holocene (1000 years ago extinction) The Jamaican Ibis was a large bird with a distinctive club-shaped wing bone, which it may have used to defend itself. It was flightless and lived in dense forests, feeding on small animals and insects...
Jamaican Ibis (Xenicibis xympithecus)
Time Period: Holocene (1932 extinction) The Heath Hen was a subspecies of the Greater Prairie Chicken, native to the northeastern United States. It lived in heathland habitats and had distinctive mating displays, involving males puffing out their fea...
Heath Hen (Tympanuchus cupido cupido)
Reptiles
Here’s a list of extinct reptiles, ranging from giant dinosaurs to marine reptiles, with brief descriptions of each:
Extinct on June 24th, 2012
Pinta Island Tortoise (Chelonoidis abingdonii)
Extinct around 1975
Round Island Burrowing Boa (Bolyeria multocarinata)
Extinct during Pleistocene
Megalania (Varanus priscus)
Extinct in 1961
Barbados Racer (Liophis perfuscus)
Extinct in 1839
Martinique giant ameiva (Ameiva major)
Extinct in 1840
Jamaican Giant Galliwasp (Celestus occiduus)
Extinct in1996
Cape Verde Giant Skink (Chioninia coctei)
Extinct in the 17th century
Mauritian Giant Skink (Leiolopisma mauritiana)
Time Period: Late Cretaceous (68-66 million years ago) Location: North America Description: The most famous of the dinosaurs, T. rex was a massive carnivorous theropod. It had a large skull with powerful jaws filled with sharp teeth. Reaching lengths...
Tyrannosaurus rex (T. rex)
Time Period: Late Cretaceous (68-66 million years ago) Location: North America Description: A large, herbivorous ceratopsid dinosaur with three facial horns and a large bony frill. Triceratops used its horns for defense against predators like T. rex....
Triceratops
Time Period: Late Jurassic (155-150 million years ago) Location: North America Description: Known for its distinctive double row of bony plates along its back and the spikes on its tail, Stegosaurus was a large, slow-moving herbivore. It grew up to 3...
Stegosaurus
Time Period: Late Cretaceous (100-66 million years ago) Location: North America Description: A flying reptile, though not a dinosaur, Pteranodon had a wingspan of up to 33 feet. Its elongated head had a long, backward-extending crest, and it is belie...
Pteranodon
Time Period: Early Permian (295-272 million years ago) Location: North America Description: Often mistaken for a dinosaur, Dimetrodon was a sail-backed reptile. It was a carnivore with sharp, serrated teeth and could grow up to 15 feet in length. Its...
Dimetrodon
Time Period: Early Cretaceous (140-120 million years ago) Location: Europe, North America Description: Iguanodon was one of the first dinosaurs discovered and named. It was a large herbivore, walking both bipedally and quadrupedally, with distinctive...
Iguanodon
Time Period: Early Jurassic (201-175 million years ago) Location: Europe Description: A long-necked marine reptile with a broad, flat body, Plesiosaurus had four strong flippers, which it used to glide through water. It was likely a fish-eater, catch...
Plesiosaurus
Time Period: Late Cretaceous (82-66 million years ago) Location: Global (especially Europe and North America) Description: These giant marine reptiles were powerful swimmers and apex predators of their time. Some species grew over 50 feet in length. ...
Mosasaurs
Time Period: Late Jurassic (154-153 million years ago) Location: North America, Africa Description: One of the largest dinosaurs, Brachiosaurus was a massive herbivore with a long neck and relatively short tail. Unlike most other long-necked dinosaur...
Brachiosaurus
Time Period: Late Cretaceous (112-93 million years ago) Location: North Africa Description: A giant theropod, Spinosaurus had a distinctive sail on its back and a crocodile-like snout. It is thought to have been semi-aquatic, hunting fish and other p...
Spinosaurus
Time Period: Late Jurassic (155-150 million years ago) Location: North America, Europe Description: A large predatory theropod, Allosaurus was one of the top predators of its time. It had sharp teeth, powerful legs, and could grow up to 30 feet in le...
Allosaurus
Time Period: Late Cretaceous (82-73 million years ago) Location: North America Description: A massive prehistoric crocodilian, Deinosuchus could grow up to 35 feet long. It was an ambush predator, likely feeding on dinosaurs and other large animals t...
Deinosuchus
Time Period: Late Cretaceous (70-66 million years ago) Location: North America Description: Known for its thick, domed skull, which was up to 10 inches thick, Pachycephalosaurus was a bipedal herbivore. The function of its skull is debated, but it ma...
Pachycephalosaurus
Time Period: Middle Jurassic (166 million years ago) Location: Europe Description: One of the first dinosaurs ever named, Megalosaurus was a large theropod predator. It was around 30 feet long and had sharp, curved teeth for tearing flesh.
Megalosaurus
Time Period: Early Cretaceous (112 million years ago) Location: Africa, South America Description: A giant prehistoric crocodile, Sarcosuchus was about twice the length of the largest modern crocodiles, growing up to 40 feet. It likely hunted dinosau...
Sarcosuchus
Time Period: Late Cretaceous (70-66 million years ago) Location: North America Description: One of the largest flying animals to ever live, Quetzalcoatlus had a wingspan of up to 36 feet. It was a pterosaur, a flying reptile, and likely fed by scaven...
Quetzalcoatlus
Time Period: Late Jurassic (150 million years ago) Location: Europe Description: A transitional species between non-avian dinosaurs and birds, Archaeopteryx had both feathers and teeth, as well as claws on its wings. It could fly, though not as effic...
Archaeopteryx
Time Period: Late Cretaceous (73-66 million years ago) Location: North America Description: A large, duck-billed herbivore (hadrosaur), Edmontosaurus grew to 40 feet long. It had a flat, wide mouth for feeding on vegetation and may have lived in herd...
Edmontosaurus
Time Period: Late Cretaceous (98 million years ago) Location: South America Description: One of the largest known theropod dinosaurs, Giganotosaurus rivaled T. rex in size, growing up to 43 feet in length. It was a predator with sharp teeth, and may ...
Giganotosaurus
Time Period: Late Cretaceous (68-66 million years ago) Location: North America Description: A heavily armored dinosaur, Ankylosaurus had a clubbed tail and bony plates covering its back. It was a slow-moving herbivore, using its tail as a defense mec...
Ankylosaurus
Amphibians
Here is a list of extinct amphibians, covering different geological periods and representing a wide array of sizes, adaptations, and ecological roles:
Time Period: Late Cretaceous (70 million years ago) Beelzebufo, also known as the "Devil Frog," was an enormous prehistoric frog from Madagascar, growing up to 41 cm in length. It had a robust, heavily built body and a massive mouth with sharp teeth....
Beelzebufo (Devil Frog)
Time Period: Triassic (251 to 200 million years ago) Gerrothorax was a large, flat-bodied amphibian that resembled a giant salamander. It lived in freshwater environments such as lakes and rivers. Gerrothorax had a peculiar feature: it could open its...
Gerrothorax
Time Period: Permian (299 to 251 million years ago) Diplocaulus is known for its distinctive boomerang-shaped head, which may have helped it steer while swimming. This small, amphibious predator lived in freshwater habitats and likely fed on small fi...
Diplocaulus
Time Period: Permian (270 million years ago) Prionosuchus was the largest known amphibian, with lengths reaching up to 9 meters. It resembled a modern-day crocodile, with a long, streamlined body and powerful jaws filled with sharp teeth. Prionosuchu...
Prionosuchus
Time Period: Late Carboniferous to Early Permian (295 million years ago) Eryops was a large, robust amphibian that could grow up to 2 meters long. It had a wide, flat head and a strong body with short limbs, making it well-suited for both aquatic and...
Eryops
Time Period: Late Devonian (365 million years ago) Acanthostega is one of the earliest known tetrapods (four-limbed vertebrates) and represents a transitional form between fish and land-dwelling amphibians. It had eight digits on each limb and a fish...
Acanthostega
Time Period: Early Carboniferous (330 million years ago) Crassigyrinus was a large, eel-like amphibian with sharp teeth and a streamlined body adapted for an aquatic lifestyle. It lived in swampy environments and was likely a powerful swimmer, using ...
Crassigyrinus
Time Period: Triassic (247 to 201 million years ago) Mastodonsaurus was a large amphibian with a broad, flat head that could grow over 1.5 meters long. Its total body length reached up to 6 meters. Mastodonsaurus had long, sharp teeth, including two ...
Mastodonsaurus
Time Period: Late Devonian (365 million years ago) Ichthyostega was one of the first amphibians to show adaptations for life on land. It had strong, weight-bearing limbs and a sturdy spine, allowing it to move on land, though it likely spent most of ...
Ichthyostega
Time Period: Early Cretaceous (120 million years ago) Koolasuchus was a large, cold-adapted amphibian that lived in Australia when it was still part of the supercontinent Gondwana. It grew up to 5 meters long and had a flat, broad head, much like mod...
Koolasuchus
Time Period: Early Permian (290 million years ago) Trematops was a medium-sized, semi-aquatic amphibian with a robust skull and elongated body. It had prominent, ridged teeth and a reinforced jaw, suggesting it was a predator that fed on small verteb...
Trematops
Time Period: Permian (270 million years ago) Platyoposaurus was an amphibian that grew up to 2.5 meters long. It had a crocodile-like body, with a long tail and strong jaws filled with sharp teeth. It was primarily aquatic, living in rivers and lakes...
Platyoposaurus
Time Period: Early Permian (295 million years ago) Capetus was a large amphibian with a heavily built body and short limbs. It lived in swampy environments and had a large, flat skull, well-suited for ambushing prey in the water. Capetus was likely a...
Capetus
Time Period: Triassic (240 million years ago) Batrachosuchus was a small, frog-like amphibian with a wide, flat head and a stout body. It lived in freshwater environments and likely fed on small invertebrates and fish. Batrachosuchus is known for its...
Batrachosuchus
Time Period: Early Triassic (252 to 247 million years ago) Trematosaurus was an early amphibian with a long, streamlined body and sharp teeth, adapted for catching fish in its aquatic environment. It had a pointed, crocodile-like snout and likely hun...
Trematosaurus
Time Period: Early Permian (299 to 290 million years ago) Cacops was a small, stocky amphibian with a heavily armored body. It had thick bones and large, protective plates on its back, which may have helped defend it from predators. Cacops lived in t...
Cacops
Time Period: Late Triassic (230 to 200 million years ago) Metoposaurus was a large amphibian that lived in swampy freshwater environments. It had a broad, flat head and short, stocky limbs, and it could grow up to 3 meters in length. Metoposaurus was...
Metoposaurus
Time Period: Early Jurassic (190 million years ago) Siderops was a large amphibian that grew up to 3 meters long and lived in freshwater lakes and rivers. It had a crocodile-like body, with strong limbs and a broad, flat skull filled with sharp teeth...
Siderops
Time Period: Early Permian (280 million years ago) Apateon was a small amphibian, closely related to modern salamanders. It had a long, slender body, short limbs, and a tail adapted for swimming. Apateon lived in freshwater habitats, where it likely ...
Apateon
Time Period: Late Permian (260 to 252 million years ago) Dvinosaurus was a small to medium-sized amphibian that lived in freshwater environments. It had a flat head with large eyes positioned on top, making it well-suited for an ambush lifestyle. Dvi...
Dvinosaurus
Fish
Here I will be extinct fish species, ranging from ancient armored fish to massive predators, along with brief descriptions of their characteristics and significance:
Time Period: Late Devonian (358 to 382 million years ago) Dunkleosteus was a giant, armored placoderm fish that reached lengths of up to 10 meters. Its head and thorax were covered in thick, bony plates, giving it a fearsome appearance. Dunkleosteus ...
Dunkleosteus
Time Period: Miocene to Pliocene (23 to 3.6 million years ago) Megalodon was a massive prehistoric shark that could grow up to 18 meters long. It was one of the largest predators to ever swim in the ocean, and it primarily fed on large marine mammals...
Megalodon
Time Period: Late Devonian (375 million years ago) Tiktaalik is considered a transitional species between fish and tetrapods (four-limbed animals). It had a flat, elongated body with fins that showed early signs of developing into limbs. Tiktaalik is...
Tiktaalik
Time Period: Permian to Triassic (290 to 250 million years ago) Helicoprion was a bizarre shark-like fish with a spiral-shaped jaw filled with sharp teeth, resembling a circular saw. The jaw structure is often referred to as a "tooth-whorl." It is be...
Helicoprion
Time Period: Late Cretaceous (112 to 66 million years ago) Xiphactinus was a large predatory fish that grew up to 6 meters long. It had an elongated body, sharp teeth, and a voracious appetite, and fossils have been found with other, nearly intact fi...
Xiphactinus
Time Period: Middle Jurassic (165 to 150 million years ago) Leedsichthys was the largest known bony fish, reaching lengths of over 16 meters. It was a filter feeder, similar to modern-day whales, and fed on plankton and small marine organisms. Leedsi...
Leedsichthys
Time Period: Devonian (410 to 360 million years ago) Pterichthyodes was a small, armored fish that belonged to the placoderm group. It had a heavily armored front half with wing-like pectoral fins, while its back half was more flexible, allowing it t...
Pterichthyodes
Time Period: Late Devonian (380 million years ago) Cladoselache was one of the earliest sharks, living during the Devonian period. Unlike modern sharks, it had a more streamlined body, lacked the cartilaginous skeleton, and had smooth, cutting-edge t...
Cladoselache
Time Period: Devonian (360 to 370 million years ago) Hyneria was a large, predatory lobe-finned fish that could grow over 2 meters in length. It was a powerful hunter, living in freshwater rivers and lakes, preying on smaller fish and amphibians. Its...
Hyneria
Time Period: Devonian (416 to 360 million years ago) Coccosteus was a genus of small to medium-sized armored placoderms. It had a heavily armored head and thorax, with the rest of its body being more flexible. This fish likely lived near the seafloor...
Coccosteus
Time Period: Devonian (380 to 360 million years ago) Bothriolepis was a genus of armored, freshwater fish from the Devonian period. It had a heavily armored body and lived primarily in rivers and lakes. With its small eyes and flattened body, it like...
Bothriolepis
Time Period: Devonian (400 to 360 million years ago) Onychodus was a large predatory fish with long, sharp teeth and an elongated body. It belonged to the group of lobe-finned fish and lived in shallow marine environments. The teeth of Onychodus were...
Onychodus
Time Period: Jurassic to Cretaceous (160 to 66 million years ago) Mawsonia was a giant coelacanth that lived during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. This massive, lobe-finned fish could grow up to 6 meters long and lived in both freshwater and ma...
Mawsonia
Time Period: Carboniferous to Permian (350 to 290 million years ago) Acanthodes was a small, spiny fish with a cartilaginous skeleton, closely related to early bony fish. It had large eyes, suggesting it was a visual predator. Acanthodes lived in bot...
Acanthodes
Time Period: Carboniferous (360 to 300 million years ago) Rhizodus was a gigantic freshwater fish that lived in rivers and lakes during the Carboniferous period. Growing up to 7 meters long, it had large, sharp teeth and was a top predator in its env...
Rhizodus
Time Period: Late Cretaceous (100 to 66 million years ago) Squalicorax, also known as the crow shark, was a genus of predatory shark that lived during the Late Cretaceous period. It had sharp, serrated teeth that were ideal for cutting through flesh,...
Squalicorax
Time Period: Devonian to Carboniferous (360 to 320 million years ago) Stethacanthus was an ancient shark with a strange anvil-shaped dorsal fin. This unique structure may have been used for display or mating purposes. Stethacanthus had small, sharp t...
Stethacanthus
Time Period: Late Permian to Late Cretaceous (260 to 66 million years ago) Hybodus was a genus of prehistoric shark that lived in both marine and freshwater environments. It had a diverse diet, feeding on fish, mollusks, and possibly marine reptiles....
Hybodus
Time Period: Late Cretaceous (100 to 66 million years ago) Cretoxyrhina, often called the "Ginsu shark," was a large, fast-swimming predator that could reach up to 7 meters in length. Its teeth were razor-sharp, allowing it to efficiently cut through...
Cretoxyrhina
Invertebrates
Invertebrates are animals that lack a backbone or vertebral column. They constitute the majority of animal species on Earth and exhibit a vast range of forms and sizes. Here are some key points about invertebrates:
Time Period: Cambrian to Permian (540 to 250 million years ago) Trilobites are one of the most iconic extinct marine arthropods. These creatures had segmented bodies, exoskeletons, and varied in size from millimeters to several inches long. They were...
Trilobite
Time Period: Devonian to Cretaceous (400 to 66 million years ago) Ammonites were marine mollusks closely related to modern squids, octopuses, and cuttlefish. They had coiled, chambered shells and were highly diverse in shape and size. These creatures...
Ammonites
Time Period: Ordovician to Permian (460 to 250 million years ago) Eurypterids, commonly known as sea scorpions, were large predatory arthropods, some reaching over two meters in length. These fearsome creatures dominated shallow marine environments a...
Eurypterid
Time Period: Cambrian to Carboniferous (520 to 320 million years ago) Graptolites were colonial animals that lived in the oceans, floating in colonies. They are thought to have been filter feeders, using their intricate structures to capture plankton...
Graptolite
Time Period: Carboniferous to Cretaceous (360 to 66 million years ago) Belemnites were cephalopods with an internal skeleton rather than an external shell like their ammonite cousins. They resembled modern squids, having a bullet-shaped calcified str...
Belemnitida
Time Period: Cambrian (508 million years ago) Hallucigenia is a bizarre, worm-like organism with spines on its back and tentacle-like appendages on its underside. It lived on the seafloor, likely feeding on small particles or bacteria. Its name comes...
Hallucigenia
Time Period: Carboniferous (300 million years ago) Meganeura was a genus of giant dragonfly-like insects with wingspans of over 70 cm. It is one of the largest known insects to have ever existed. These giant predatory insects thrived in the high-oxyg...
Meganeura
Time Period: Cambrian (505 million years ago) Opabinia was an extraordinary creature with five eyes and a long, flexible proboscis ending in a claw-like structure. It lived in the ancient oceans and likely used its proboscis to catch small prey. The ...
Opabinia
Time Period: Silurian to Devonian (430 to 360 million years ago) Pterygotus was a massive sea scorpion and one of the largest eurypterids. Reaching up to 2.5 meters in length, this predatory invertebrate was equipped with large pincers and an elongat...
Pterygotus
Time Period: Cambrian (520 million years ago) Anomalocaris was a large predatory marine animal with a segmented body, two large, spiked appendages near its mouth, and a circular mouth lined with sharp teeth. It is often regarded as one of the top pre...
Anomalocaris
Time Period: Ordovician to Triassic (488 to 199 million years ago) Orthoceras was a genus of long, straight-shelled cephalopods. These marine animals were related to modern squids and nautiluses. Orthoceras had a long, conical shell and used jet prop...
Orthoceras
Time Period: Late Cambrian (500 million years ago) Dikelocephalus was a genus of trilobite with a distinctive wide, flat head and large compound eyes. These trilobites were bottom dwellers that scavenged and preyed on small organisms in shallow marin...
Dikelocephalus
Time Period: Cambrian (520 to 500 million years ago) Paradoxides was a large trilobite that lived in shallow marine environments. It had a wide, semi-circular head shield, long segmented body, and large crescent-shaped eyes. Paradoxides is one of the...
Paradoxides
Time Period: Jurassic to Cretaceous (199 to 66 million years ago) Inoceramus was a genus of bivalve mollusk that lived in the shallow seas of the Mesozoic era. These large, thick-shelled clams were filter feeders, extracting plankton and other small ...
Inoceramus
Time Period: Cambrian (520 million years ago) Marella was a small, shrimp-like arthropod known from the Burgess Shale fossil deposits. It had a segmented body with pairs of swimming appendages and a distinctive curved shield on its head. Marella was ...
Marrella
Time Period: Ordovician (470 to 440 million years ago) Cameroceras was a giant orthoconic cephalopod, with a straight, elongated shell that could reach lengths of over 9 meters. This predator roamed the Ordovician oceans, using its long tentacles to ...
Cameroceras
Time Period: Cambrian (505 million years ago) Wiwaxia was a small, soft-bodied animal covered in scales and spines. It lived on the seafloor, where it likely fed by scraping algae and detritus off rocks with its radula, a tongue-like organ with rows ...
Wiwaxia
Time Period: Cambrian (530 to 505 million years ago) Archaeocyathids were simple, sponge-like marine organisms that built some of the earliest reef structures. Their fossilized remains show cone-shaped skeletons made of calcium carbonate. These reef-...
Archaeocyatha
Time Period: Ediacaran (570 to 550 million years ago) Charnia was a frond-like organism that lived on the ocean floor during the late Precambrian. It is part of the enigmatic Ediacaran biota, a group of organisms that predated the Cambrian Explosion....
Charnia
Time Period: Cambrian (505 million years ago) Pikaia was a small, worm-like creature that is one of the earliest known chordates, the group that eventually gave rise to vertebrates. It had a simple notochord (a precursor to the backbone), segmented b...
Pikaia