Largest extinct animals

The **largest extinct animals** known to date are listed here. They are arranged by their taxonomy (classification). The list only deals with individual animals; size of colonies (such as coral reefs) is not dealt with here.

## Vertebrates 
### Fish 
* Bony fish
The largest bony fish of all time was *Leedsichthys problematicus* from the Middle Jurassic, at around  long. Earlier claims have been scaled down.
* Cartilaginous fish
* with whale shark (purple), great white shark (green), and human (blue) for scale.]]

The extinct megatoothed shark, *O. megalodon* is by far the biggest and most powerful shark that ever lived. This giant shark reached a length of more than . Recent higher estimates place the largest individuals of Megalodon at 20.3 meters (66 ft), making it the largest fish of all time.

### Reptiles 
#### Turtles 
The largest fossil turtle seems to be the freshwater turtle *Stupendemys*, with an estimated total carapace length of more than 11&nbsp;feet (3.3&nbsp;metres). A close contender is *Archelon ischyros*, a sea turtle, which reached a length of 16&nbsp;feet (4.8&nbsp;m) across the flippers and a weight of over 4,850&nbsp;lb (2,200&nbsp;kg). For comparison, the largest living turtle is the Leatherback Sea Turtle at a maximum 2000&nbsp;lbs (900&nbsp;kg).

#### Archosaurs 
* Crocodiles
While often suggested to be the largest crocodilian, *Sarcosuchus imperator* has been recently cut down to 4 tonnes in weight and 9 meters in length.   *Deinosuchus*, estimated at around , is a strong contender for the title.

#### Pterosaurs 
The largest pterosaur was *Quetzalcoatlus northropi*, at 127&nbsp;kg (280&nbsp;lbs) and with a wingspan of 11&nbsp;m (36&nbsp;ft). Another close contender is *Hatzegopteryx*, also with a wingspan of 11&nbsp;m (this estimate is based on a skull 3&nbsp;m long (10&nbsp;ft).

#### Dinosaurs 
* **Sauropods**

Titanosaurs hold the world record for the size of a land animal. A recent discovery in the Argentine found *Dreadnoughtus*, an estimated length of 26 metres (85 feet) and weight of 59,291 kg (65.4 short tons). Its bones showed it was a sub-adult.

A notably large titanosaurid is *Argentinosaurus*, which is known from partially preserved remains. This sauropod has been estimated as  long and 73–99 metric tons in weight. The lack of skeletal material makes these estimates uncertain.

* **Ornithopods**
, *Shantungosaurus* in blue.]]

The very largest ornithopods, like *Shantungosaurus* were as heavy as medium-sized sauropods at up to 23 metric tons *Lambeosaurus laticaudus* appears to be close contender at around  in length.
 dinosaurs]]
* **Theropods**
The largest known theropod is *Tyrannosaurus rex*, with an exceptionally large specimen nicknamed*Scotty* estimated at 13m (43ft) long and 8.8 metric tonnes in weight. *Tyrannosaurus Rex* 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  in length, and another specimen is estimated at  in length. And *Spinosaurus aegyptiacus* at 14m (46ft) long and 7.4 metric tonnes in weight. Some other notable giant theropods (e.g. *Carcharodontosaurus*, *Acrocanthosaurus*, and *Mapusaurus*) may also have rivaled these giant theropods in size. Another very large theropod was *Deinocheirus*, being  tall at hips,
and weighing up to 16,000 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.
* **Armoured dinosaurs**
The largest thyreophoran was *Ankylosaurus* at  in length and 6.5 tons in weight. *Stegosaurus* was also 9&nbsp;meters (30&nbsp;ft) long but around 5 tons in weight.
* **Ceratopsia**
The largest ceratopsian known is probably the newly discovered *Eotriceratops* with a skull alone being  in length. Maximum size of this ceratopsian is suggested to be around  in length and 13 tonnes in weight.

#### Ichthyosaurs 
The largest ichthyosaur was *Shonisaurus sikanniensis* at ~21&nbsp;metres (70&nbsp;ft) in length. This would make it the largest extinct marine animal.

#### Plesiosaurs 
* Long-necked plesiosauridae
The largest plesiosaur was *Mauisaurus haasti*, growing to about 20&nbsp;metres (66&nbsp;ft) in length. Next behind was *Elasmosaurus* at 14&nbsp;metres (46&nbsp;ft) long.
* Pliosaurs
There is much controversy here. Fossil remains of a pliosaur nicknamed *Predator X* were excavated from Norway in 2008. It was about  in length and 41 metric tons in weight. However, in 2002, a team of paleontologists in Mexico discovered the remains of a pliosaur *Monster of Aramberri*, which is also estimated at  in length. However, this specimen is thought to be a juvenile, with evidence that it had been attacked by an even larger pliosaur. Some media claimed that *Monster of Aramberri* was a *Liopleurodon* this is unconfirmed. Another large fossil snake is *Gigantophis*, estimated at around  in length. Both these snakes lived in tropical rain forests. In third place is an aquatic snake,  *Palaeophis colossaeus*, which may have been around  in length.
* Mosasaurs
Giant mosasaurs are the largest animals in the Squamata. The largest known mosasaur is likely *Mosasaurus hoffmanni*, estimated at least  in length. A close contender in size is *Hainosaurus bernardi*, estimated at  in length. Another giant mosasaur is *Tylosaurus*, estimated at  in length.

### Birds  
]]
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&nbsp;m tall (10&nbsp;ft). The elephant birds were up to 400&nbsp;kg and *Dromornis* was up to 500&nbsp;kg in weight. The tallest bird ever was the Giant Moa (*Dinornis maximus*) at 12&nbsp;ft tall.

The largest flight-capable bird was *Argentavis magnificens* which had a wingspan of 7&nbsp;m (~23&nbsp;ft), and a body weight of 110&nbsp;kg (244&nbsp;lb), or *Pelagornis sandersi* with a wingspan of 6.4 to 7.4 metres.

### Mammals 
#### Whales 
*]]
*Basilosaurus* was once recognized as one of the largest known extinct cetaceans at  in length.

The largest fossil toothed whale was the Miocene whale *Livyatan melvillei* which was estimated to be  in length. One notable feature of *L. melvillei* was its teeth which were 36&nbsp;cm long and is unmatched by any other animal, extinct or alive.

However, the largest fossil whales were baleen whales (plankton feeders) 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.

#### Land mammals 
*]]
The largest perissodactyl, and land mammal, of all time was *Palaeoloxodon namadicus*. It stood 5.5&nbsp;m (18&nbsp;ft) tall at the shoulder, with a total height of 8&nbsp;m (27&nbsp;ft). It was 12&nbsp;m (40&nbsp;ft) long and may have weighed 20 tonnes (22 tons), though mass estimates vary. Some prehistoric horned rhinos also grew to large sizes. The giant woolly rhino *Elasmotherium* reached 20&nbsp;ft long and 6.6&nbsp;ft high.

## Invertebrates 
### Myriapoda 
#### Millipedes (Diplopoda) 
The largest by far was the giant *Arthropleura''. Measuring 2.5&nbsp;metres (8.2&nbsp;ft) and 45 centimetres (18&nbsp;in) wide, it was the largest terrestrial arthropod of all time.

## References