recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Protoceratops

Protoceratops by Institute for the Study of Mongolian Dinosaurs

***Protoceratops*** (pro-toe-sare-uh-tops) was a genus of Coronosaur, a relative of the Ceratopsids. It lived during the Late Cretaceous.

## Characteristics

*Protoceratops* was a relatively small Ceratopsian, growing to around 1.8 meters in length, 0.6 meters in height, an a mass of 82.7 kg. Smaller spcimens were estimated at 23.7 kg.

## The living creature

*Protoceratops* was a fairly common dinosaur. Some believe that they lived in large herds. The dromaeosaur *Velociraptor* seems to have preyed on *Protoceratops*.

The scleral rings, bones located in the eyes, have been analyzed, showing that *Protoceratops* was active for some hours during both the day and night.

## Importance

*Protoceratops* has been preserved extremely well and represented by an enormous number of specimens. As such, it has been extensively studied over the years. Some have even suggested that it inspired the griffin myth, as Scythian nomads could have stumbled upon some of the well-preserved fossils. The ancient Greeks began writing about griffins shortly after contact with the Scythians. However, this hypothesis has been disputed due to the fact that pre-Greek griffin accounts exist.

One of the most famous dinosaur specimens is the "fighting dinosaurs," a preserved *Protoceratops* and *Velociraptor*, apparently locked in combat. The *Protoceratops* is using its powerful beak to bite the arm of the *Velociraptor*, which, in turn, is using the claw on its foot to attack the underside of the *Protoceratops*. It is thought that a sand dune fell on the animals, killing both of them, and preserving this unique specimen.

*Protoceratops* is assigned to protoceratopsidae, a relative of the ceratopsids, but not the same family. Due to its more "basal" appearance, it was named "Protoceratops," which translates to "first horned face." In reality, *Protoceratops* lived during the Campanian, the penultimate stage of the Late Creataceous, long after the earliest ancestors of the protoceratopsids and ceratopsids.
Agenor

## Agenor

### Family

Poseidon - Father
Unnamed Mother
Rhea - Grandmother
Kronos - Grandfather
Zeus - Uncle
Perseus - Cousin
Helius - Second Cousin
Hades - Uncle
 Demeter - Aunt
 Hestia - Aunt
Hera - Aunt
Artemis - Cousin
 Athena - Cousin
 Aphrodite - Cousin
 Apollo - Cousin
 Hephaestus - Cousin
 Hermes - Cousin
 Ares - Cousin
Andromeda - Ex -Fiancé

**Agenor** is one of the main characters of *Wrath of the Titans*.
Paraceratherium

***Paraceratherium*** (par-ah-cer-ah-thee-ree-um) was a genus of rhinoceros that lived in Eurasia during the Oligocene epoch. It is considered by some to be the largest land mammal ever.

## Characteristics

Current estimates suggest a length of about 7.4 meters, a height just under five meters, and a mass between 11,000 and 20,000 kg.

*Paraceratherium* had a neck that was proportionally longer than that of modern rhinoceros species. It also had no horn on its nose.

## The living creature

*Paraceratherium* was a browser, feeding on leafy vegetation, as opposed to the modern white rhinoceros which is a grazer. It has been suggested that *Paraceratherium* had large home ranges, as food would not be plentiful in its home environment. It is also possible that small herds existed. *Paraceratherium* probably had a long gestation period and a long lifespan.

Adult *Paraceratherium* were too large to be threatened by any predator. However, younger individuals have been attacked by very large crocodiles.

## Importance

*Paraceratherium* is one of the largest known land mammals ever to exist, only rivaled by the extinct elephant *Palaeoloxodon*. It has been suggested that the maximum size of land mammals is around 20,000 kg, the size *Paraceratherium* could have reached. Land mammals cannot attain the sizes of Sauropod dinosaurs such as *Argentinosaurus* due to a variety of factors, including reproductive mechanism and bone structure.
Tuojiangosaurus

An artist's illustration of Tuojiangosaurus

***Tuojiangosaurus*** (two-huang-oh-sore-us) was a genus of Stegosaur that lived in Asia during the Late Jurassic.

## Characteristics

*Tuojiangosaurus* was one of the larger Stegosaurs, reaching around 7 meters in length, 2 meters in height, and 2,800 kg in mass, comparable to the average size of the European Stegosaur *Dacentrurus*.

## The living creature

*Tuojiangosaurus* was a herbivore, probably feeding on low vegetation. The plates of Stegosaurs were somewhat unsuited for defense, and were probably used for display. However, finds relating to *Stegosaurus* indicate that the tail spikes were probably used defensively, which would have made Stegosaurs like *Tuojiangosaurus* fairly difficult prey for any predators.

## Importance

Despite being one of the larger Stegosaurs, *Tuojiangosaurus* is also one of the best known due to the completeness of one of the specimens.

It has been suggested that the related Stegosaurs *Chialingosaurus* and *Chunkingosaurus* represent jeuvenile *Tuojiangosaurus*.
Coelodonta

***Coelodonta*** (see-low-don-tuh), more commonly known as the "woolly rhino," was a genus of rhinoceros that lived in Eurasia during the Pleistocene Ice Ages.

## Characteristics

With an upper length of around 3.8 meters, a height of 2 meters, and an upper mass of around 2,700 kg, *Coelodonta* larger than any living rhinoceros species. The animal is most known for the thick layer of fur which would have allowed it to live at higher latitudes during the Pleistocene.

Cave paintings suggest that *Coelodonta* had a band of darker fur running down its center.

## The living creature

*Coelodonta* lived across Laurasia. They may have been prey for the Cave Hayena, however, because of their much larger size, it is quite possible that only smaller or weaker animals were at risk. *Coelodonta* is thought to have grazed vegetation like a cow.

## Importance

The "woolly rhino" is one of the most iconic of all Pleistocene creatures. It has also been studied extensively.
Palaeoloxodon

***Palaeoloxodon*** (pay-lee-oh-locks-oh-don) was a genus of prehistoric elephant that appeared in Africa during the Pliocene, and spread throughout Eurasia, with populations surviving into the Holocene.

## Characteristics

The largest species of *Palaeoloxodon* could reach about 7 meters in length, counting its tusks. Specimens indicate a maximum height of 5.2 meters. Mass estimates indicate the largest species could reach about 19,500 kg. However, some species were much smaller, only reaching 1.4 meters in height and a mass of 200 kg.

*Palaeoloxodon* is known for its proportionally long tusks. It has been projected that these were used for defense.

## The living creature

The largest species of *Palaeoloxodon* was probably too large to be attacked by predators.

The last known surviving species, the Mediterranean dwarf, died out around 3,000 years ago, probably as a result of climate change and human hunting. Evidence does exist of Chinese populations existing around this time as well.

## Importance

*Palaeoloxodon* is possibly the largest land mammal ever. Many have cited it as being more massive than the other contender for the title, *Paraceratherium*. However, the size estimates for the largest species are not yet certain.
Rhizodus

***Rhizodus*** (rise-oh-duss) was a genus of lobe-finned fish that lived during the Carboniferous period in what is now Scotland and Ireland.

## Characteristics

Growing to 6 and possibly even 7 meters, and possibly weighing up to 4,000 kilograms, *Rhizodus* is the largest known freshwater fish to have ever lived. It would have appeared elongated and would have possessed large and powerful jaws.

## The living creature

*Rhizodus* was the apex predator of its environment, far larger than any other known animal at the time. It would have fed on amphibians, tetrapods, and other lobe-finned fishes.

## Importance

Aside from being the largest known freshwater fish, *Rhizodus* is also stands out as being the only truly massive lobe-finned predator known. *Hyneria*, which gained fame due to its appearance in the miniseries *Walking With Monsters* along with the incorrect length estimate of 5 meters, was actually probably between 2 and 4 meters.
Prehistoric Life Wiki

## Mission of Prehistoric Life Wiki

This is just another meaningless duplicate of Dinopedia, isn't it?

Well, the answer is, it's not. We have a unique mission, and we need the help of contributors for it. On many Prehistoric Life wikis, the information is either presented in a disorganized, amateur fashion or is (like Dinopedia) well thought out and well researched. However, the former is useless, and the latter is often "a lot to swallow" for most internet surfers. Therefore, Prehistoric Life Wiki's mission is to focus on the lifeforms in prehistory that are most important to our understanding of paleontology and present the facts about them in a logical manner with as little jargon as possible.

This will make this wiki a great stop for people who want to learn the essential facts but aren't ready for a site like Dinopedia. However, we have not accomplished our mission yet. We have throwaway articles, and are still working on an organization formula. If you are interested in helping, please feel free to apply to Cougarcat, the wiki bureaucrat, or just start pitching ideas for formulas.

Thank you all for reading, and I hope this was enough to convince you of the potential of this wiki.

## Latest activity

Photos and videos are a great way to add visuals to your wiki. Find videos about your topic by exploring Fandom's Video Library.
Camptosaurus

***Camptosaurus*** (camp-toe-sore-us) was a genus of Ornithopod dinosaur that lived in North America during the Late Jurassic.

## Characteristics

The most recent estimates suggest smaller adult *Camptosaurus* could reach 5 meters in length and about 500 kg in mass.

## The living creature

Medium-sized Ornithopods like *Camptosaurus* would have been common in North America during the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous. *Camptosaurus* is thought to have fed primarily on tough vegetation due to the extensive wear on its teeth.

Ornithopods like Camptosaurus might have been prey for large predators such as *Allosaurus* or *Ceratosaurus*.

## Importance

Like many dinosaurs named in the 19th century, *Camptosaurus* has a complicated taxonomic history. Original descriptions of *Camptosaurus* occasionally included fossils from other animals, mistakenly believed to be *Camptosaurus* remains. In Europe, many different *Camptosaurus* species were named, and all of them are general considered to be invalid by paleontologists today.
Camarasaurus

***Camarasaurus*** (cam-ar-oh-sore-us) was a genus of large Sauropod dinosaur that lived in North America during the Late Jurassic.

## Characteristics

The largest species of *Camarasaurus* could reach around 23 meters in length, and almost 10 meters in height. Upper mass estimates suggest it could have reached 47,000 kg. The skull of *Camarasaurus* is quite distinctive for its wide "box shape."

## The living creature

*Camarasaurus* was one of the most common large Sauropods in Late Jurassic North America. Evidence suggests these animals traveled in family groups or herds.

## Importance

The abundance of *Camarasaurus* specimens has allowed paleontologists to determine much about this genus. It was also involved in the early specimen of *Brontosaurus*, as a *Camarasaurus* head was placed onto the *Brontosaurus* body.
Miragaia

Miragaia size by wikipedia

***Miragaia*** (meer-uh-gai-uh) was a genus of long-necked Stegosaur that lived in Europe during the Late Jurassic.

## Characteristics

Large *Miragaia* could reach 5.5-6 meters in length. A 2010 estimate indicates a maximum length of 6.5 meters for very large individuals, and a mass of 2,000 kg.

*Miragaia* had a proportionally long neck for a Stegosaur, containing almost 20 vertebrae. In comparison, most Late Jurassic Sauropods on average had between 12 and 15 vertebrae.

## The living creature

*Miragaia* was a herbivore. The use of its long neck is uncertain. Perhaps it attempted to reach higher vegetation than most Stegosaurs are thought to have fed on. Or, the neck might have elongated through sexual selection, meaning that the ancestors of *Miragaia* saw longer necks as a more "appealing" trait.

*Miragaia* possessed small bones fused to its skin. This would have made it challenging for predators like *Allosaurus* to bite into a *Miragaia*. It also had spikes on its tail. These are known to have been used defensively as evidenced by *Stegosaurus*.

## Importance

While Stegosaurs are traditionally portrayed as creatures with short necks, evidence is building that their necks were, on average, longer than previously assumed. *Miragaia* seems to be the culmination of an evolutionary trend in long necked Stegosaurs.
Top 10 Prehistoric Fish

While the subject of “prehistoric fish” is enormous, much more so than any of the other top ten lists made to date, the amount of prehistoric fish that are well known to the general public is quite slim. Therefore, it did not seem wise to create separate lists pertaining to taxonomic classes. While this resulted in the following list being extremely competitive, it is better in this writer’s view than multiple lists that are boring due to the fact that only their top five or six entries are significant.

## **Honorable mention**

*Helicoprion* - *Helicoprion* is a bizarre Chondrichthyan predator with unique eating apparatus which baffled researchers until recently. Still, however, not enough material is known to earn *Helicoprion* a spot on this list.
Parasaurolophus

***Parasaurolophus*** (para-sore-o-lo-fus) was a genus of duck-billed dinosaur that lived in North America during the Late Cretaceous.

## Characteristics

large *Parasaurolophus* could grow to around 10.23 meters in length, 3.87 meters in height, and a mass of 2,500 kg. *Parasaurolophus* possessed a crest extending from the back of its head. One, less known species might have grown larger.

## The living creature

The use of the crest has been debated, but one idea is that *Parasaurolophus* created sounds, perhaps to warn other individuals of a nearby predator. While the crests are not standardized among the Lambeosaurine Hadrosaurs, the subfamily *Parasaurolophus* belongs to, this might be because different genera and species made different noises. The related Lambeosaurine *Corythosaurus* was studied, determining that hearing was a very important part of these animal's lives.

Hadrosaurs such as *Parasaurolophus* would have been primarily quadrupedal, meaning that they walked on all fours for most of the time, probably only rearing up on two legs when trying to access high vegetation.

## Importance

Due to its distinctive appearance, *Parasaurolophus* is easily the most famous Hadrosaur.

Its name is a slight misnomer. Due to its crest, it was deemed similar to the Saurolophine Hadrosaur *Saurolophus*. However, analysis of *Saurolophus* showed that it is part of a different subfamily, the "solid crested or crestless Hadrosaurs," called the Saurolophines. *Parasaurolophus* is a "hollow crested Hadrosaur," or a Lambeosaurine.
Pliosaurus

***Pliosaurus*** (ply-oh-sore-us) was a genus of Pliosaur that lived in the Atlantic Ocean during the Late Jurassic.

## Characteristics

Upper estimates for the largest species, *P. funkei*, can reach 13 meters in length. The other species were smaller. Lower *P. funkei* estimates indicate a length of around 10 meters.

*Pliosaurus* possessed four flippers that it would have used for propulsion.

## The living creature

*Pliosaurus* was an apex predator. They probably fed on Plesiosaur genre distantly related to themselves.

## Importance

The species *P. funkei* in particular is famously known under the common name "Predator X." It is possibly the largest Pliosaur, although, the Pacific genus *Kronosaurus* is another candidate for this title. *P. funkei* has appeared in several documentaries, although, its size is often exaggerated.
Quetzalcoatlus

***Quetzalcoatlus*** (quet-sal-co-aht-luss) was a genus of very large Azarchid Pterosaur that lived in North America during the Late Cretaceous.

## Characteristics

The largest *Quetzalcoatlus* could have a wingspan of at least 11 meters. While on the ground, their shoulder height would have been around 3 meters. Modern mass estimates suggest *Quetzalcoatlus* could reach about 250 kg.

Like the rest of the members of its family, the Azarchids, *Quetzalcoatlus* had a long, extremely robust neck and a proportionally large head.

## The living creature

The feeding style of large Azarchids is not certain, but one idea is that *Quetzalcoatlus* was a scavenger, possibly feeding on the carcasses of extremely large Sauropods such as *Alamosaurus*.

*Quetzalcoatlus* was found relatively far inland, meaning that it probably didn't live in coastal environments. However, it also could have fed like a stork, standing next to bodies of water and pulling out fish. The limbs of Azarchids seem to be unusually well-suited to moving around on land.

## Importance

*Quetzalcoatlus* is possibly the largest Pterosaur known, although, the European Azarchid *Hatzegopteryx* might have been similar in size.

The flight capabilities of *Quetzalcoatlus* have been debated. Some paleontologists assume it was not capable of powered flight due to their mass estimates, sometimes reaching 540 kg. Others believe it was quite competent in the air, achieving speeds of up to 130 km/h (70.2 knots).

*Quetzalcoatlus* has also become relatively famous and popular. In 1985, the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency constructed a UAV based on *Quetzalcoatlus*.
Rhea

**Rhea** is a character indirectly mentioned in *Wrath of the Titans*. She is considered the mother of the Olympians because she gave birth to the original six Gods of Olympus.

* Gaea (mother)
 **Siblings:** | Oceanus, Hyperion, Iapetus, Krios, Koios, Arges, Brontes, Steropes, Cottus, Gyges, and Briares (brothers)
 **Children** | Hestia, Demeter, and Hera (daughters)
 **Grandchildren:** | * Perseus (grandson)
* Agenor (grandson)
* Helius (great-grandson)
* Artemis (granddaughter)
* Athena (granddaughter)
* Aphrodite (granddaughter)
* Apollo (grandson)
* Hephaestus (grandson)
* Hermes (grandson)
* Ares (grandson)
Pegasus (1981 film)

**Pegasus** is a character in the 1981 film, *Clash of the Titans.*

## Clash of the Titans (1981 film)

### Early Life

Pegasus is one of the sacred winged horses of Zeus. Once in a while, he would come to a lake in a marsh and drink from it. One day, Calibos kills the majority of the race of the winged horses, with only Pegasus remaining the last of his kind. Ammon was known to write many plays around the winged horse.

### Perseus tames Pegasus

Perseus later captures and tames Pegasus and has him follow the vulture carrying Andromeda's spirit to the swamp where Calibos resides. The winged horse later flees when he is spooked. Perseus later plans to use Pegasus again, but he is captured by Calibos and his men so Perseus will fail on his quest. One day, a mechanic owl, Bubo, frees Pegasus from his imprisonment and goes to aid Perseus.

During the confrontation with the Kraken, Pegasus is knocked into the sea. However, he quickly comes out after Medusa and the Kraken's remains land in the water. The horse is revered for his deeds by Zeus and is turned into a constellation by the gods.

## Personality

Pegasus was a free-spirited winged horse, coming and going as he pleased. He was one of Zeus' sacred horses. No man had ever ridden Pegasus until Perseus came along and tamed him. Once he is tamed, Pegasus calms down and helps Perseus on his journey at least two times.

## Trivia

* Pegasus is actually the offspring of Medusa and Poseidon and was born from Medusa's blood. However, he is a creation of Zeus in the original film and the re-make.
Yutyrannus

Yutyrannus vs human

### Named by:

Xu Xing,‭ ‬Wang Kebai,‭ ‬Zhang Ke,‭ ‬Ma Qingju,‭ ‬Xing Lida,‭ ‬Corwin Sullivan,‭ ‬Hu Dongyu,‭ ‬Cheng Shuqing‭ & ‬Wang Shuo‭ ‬-‭ ‬2012

Yutyrannus has now become one of the most famous predatory dinosaurs because it proved that some very large dinosaurs had feathers. It also may mean that ALL theropods had feathers.

A previous discovery of Dilong, another Tyrannosaur had kicked up speculation that a much larger predator had feathers. However, the discovery of Yutyrannus showed that very large predatory dinosaurs could have feathers.

It could also be that Yutyrannus lived in a more temperate environment, perhaps at a higher altitude. In this case, dinosaurs that lived in warmer climates wouldn't need feathers, however this may not be the only reason for feathers. Feathers could have been just for show, or perhaps only young tyrannosaurs had feathers.

Still, the discovery of these feathered dinosaurs has lead to even further speculation that ALL dinosaurs in general had feathers. However, we are still uncovering material, and cannot jump to conclusions yet.
Ankylosaurus

***Ankylosaurus*** (an-kie-low-sore-us) was a genus of armored herbivorous dinosaur that lived in North America during the Late Cretaceous.

## Characteristics

*Ankylosaurus* was possibly the largest Ankylosaur. Upper length estimates can reach 7 meters. The animal could have exceeded a shoulder height of 2 meters. Upper mass estimates exceed 3,000 kg.

*Ankylosaurus* was covered in bony "armor," which would have provided protection against predators. It also had a "club" on the end of its tail which would have helped it actively defend itself.

## The living creature

*Ankylosaurus* was probably a low browser. Due to its well-developed protection, it most likely had few natural predators. It is not inconceivable that very large Tyrannosaurs like *Tyrannosaurus* could take down *Ankylosaurus*, however.

## Importance

*Ankylosaurus* is one of the largest and best known armored dinosaurs. Ankylosaurs were also an important part of North American Late Cretaceous ecology, having the best defenses of any herbivore found in the Hell Creek formation.
Opabinia

***Opabinia*** (oh-puh-bin-ee-uh) was a genus of lobopod that lived in North America during the Cambrian Period.

## Characteristics

*Opabinia* could grow to around 7 cm in length. It possessed five eyes on stalks, with two in the front and three in the rear, and the stalk in the middle of the back row being slightly shorter. It also possessed a long proboscis with a pincer-like appendage on the end.

## The living creature

*Opabinia* might have moved slightly above the seafloor and grabbed prey items with its appendage. Alternatively, triangular attachments on the bottom of the animal have been interpreted by some as "legs."

The five eyes were mostly facing up, meaning that they might have been used to spot larger predators.

## Importance

When the first analysis of *Opabinia* was presented, the audience is said to have laughed, given how preposterous this creature seems.

It also was involved in the idea that the Cambrian was an "experimental" time period, where the strangest creatures ever to exist were common. However, additional research showed that similar creatures, while absurd when compared to strata from our time period, were common during the Cambrian. While the creatures that existed at that time were incredibly bizarre, standard evolutionary processes still applied to them. The environmental pressures they would have received would have been significantly different than those that existed at any other time.

*Opabinia* is considered a lobopod, an informal group containing creatures closely related to Arthropods, but thought to lack any jointed limbs. The relation of these creatures to Arthropods is still uncertain.
Arrhinoceratops

Arrhinoceratops (a-rh-i-no-Sara-tops) is a genus of herbivorous ceratopsian dinosaur.

It lived during the latest Campanian/earliest Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous, predating its famous relative Triceratops by a few million years, although it was contemporary with Anchiceratops. Its remains have been found in Canada.
Dakotaraptor

Reconstruction by Emily Willoughby

***Dakotaraptor*** (duh-coat-uh-rap-tor) was a genus of raptor from North America. It lived during the Late Cretaceous.

## Characteristics

Large *Dakotaraptor* specimens could potentially approach 6 meters in length, 2 meters in height, and 350 kg in mass. This makes *Dakotaraptor* nearly as large as *Utahraptor*, the largest currently known dromaeosaurid.

However, its proportions bear more resemblance to smaller genera such as *Deinonychus*.

## The living creature

*Dakotaraptor* would have been one of the largest predators in its environment, surpassed only by Tyrannosaurs such as *Tyrannosaurus*. Its build was well suited to speed, meaning it was probably a "pursuit predator."

## Importance

*Dakotaraptor* stands out among dromaeosaurids for its large size.

It has been suggested that *Dakotaraptor* is not a valid genus. It shares certain similarities to *Acheroraptor*, the most obvious difference being size. However, variable sizes are known from *Dakotaraptor* specimens. Nonetheless, the debate is certainly still ongoing.
Stegosaurus

***Stegosaurus*** was a genus of herbivorous dinosaur that lived during the Late Jurassic in what is now Europe and North America.

## Characteristics

The largest species of *Stegosaurus* could grow to around 10.03 meters in length and have a height of around 4.5 meters at the hips. It might have exceeded 5,300 kg.

*Stegosaurus* had two rows of plates on its back alternating, meaning that no two plates were of the same size and no two plates were lined up with each other. It also had four spikes, also called "thagomizers," on its tail.

## The living creature

Despite its large size, the head of *Stegosaurus* was positioned fairly low, although, not as low as previously assumed, meaning that it was a low-level browser.

Evidence suggests a predator-prey relationship between *Allosaurus* and *Stegosaurus*. It's thagomizers would have been an effective defense mechanism, and *Stegosaurus* would have certainly been a difficult target. An *Allosaurus* specimen was found with a thagomizer puncture wound.

## Importance

*Stegosaurus* is one of the most famous dinosaurs due to its iconic plates. The use of these is still being debated. One idea is that they were used for display between *Stegosaurus* individuals.

A cavity was found to exist in the spinal cord of *Stegosaurus* toward the hips. This has been interpreted as being a second brain, perhaps used to make up for the small "primary" brain. This idea was perpetuated throughout the 20th century, being cited, for example, in Ray Bradbury's short story *A Sound of Thunder*. The notion of *Stegosaurus* having a second brain is, politely put, extremely absurd, especially considering other forms of dinosaur including modern birds possess a similar cavity.

While material from Africa and Europe is occasionally assigned to dinosaurs known primarily from North America such as *Ceratosaurus*, these remains are typically quite scant, and their correct assignment is often disputed by paleontologists. However, at least one specimen of *Stegosaurus* is known from Portugal.
Stethacanthus

***Stethacanthus*** is a genus of extinct cartilaginous fish that lived from the Late Devonian to the Late Carboniferous.

## Characteristics

*Stethacanthus* could reach about 70 cm in length. It is best known for its first dorsal fin.

## The living creature

While *Stethacanthus* was a carnivore, due to the dorsal fin, it could probably not move particularly quickly as this would cause drag. *Stethacanthus* seems to have been a bottom dweller due to its proportionally small fins. It is, however also thought to have been migratory.

## Importance

The use of the bizarre growths on *Stethacanthus* are still the subject of debate to this day. Some have suggested that only males possessed the signature dorsal fin and that it was used for display.
Ornithomimus

Ornithomimus size comparison (by Wikipedia)

***Ornithomimus*** (or-nith-oh-my-mus) was a genus of dinosaur that lived in North America during the Late Cretaceous.

## Characteristics

*Ornithomimus* was a bipedal feathered dinosaur with long legs, a long neck, and a relatively small head.

## The living creature

The exact diet of *Ornithomimus* is debated. It's physical build seems more reminiscent of herbivores. However, it has been suggested that it may have also fed on small animals.

The long neck would have helped *Ornithomimus* see predators. It could then escape at very high speeds, as indicated by its legs and hollow bones. Analysis of the sclerotic rings, bones found within the eyes, indicates that *Ornithomimus* could be active during both the day and night.

## Importance

Like many of the earlier dinosaur genera to be named, *Ornithomimus* became a "wastebasket taxon," with many unrelated species bearing superficial resemblance being assigned to its genus. Taxonomic debates surrounding *Ornithomimus* continue to this day. *Ornithomimus* is also the type genus of the family "Ornithomimidae," which contains a wide variety of dinosaur genera found primarily in North America and Asia.

*Ornithomimus* specimens also showed evidence of feathers. While, historically, dinosaurs have often been reconstructed as scaly, some genera like *Ornithomimus* certainly did have feathers.
Edmontosaurus

A deviant art artist's restoration of Edmontosaurus

***Edmontosaurus*** (ed-mont-oh-sore-us) was a genus of large, herbivorous Hadrosaur dinosaur that lived in North America during the Late Cretaceous.

## Characteristics

Large *Edmontosaurus* could reach 13.4 meters in length, about 4.56 meters in height at the hips, and 4,000 kg in mass. Most adults were smaller, often under 10 meters long. However, some specimens indicate extremely large individuals could reach 15 meters in length and a mass of 9,000 kg.

At least one species of *Edmontosaurus* possessed a soft tissue "crest" on the back of its head, although, this was not proportionally large.

## The living creature

*Edmontosaurus* was a large herbivore that lived in very large herds. It has been suggested that these were seasonally migratory, although, these assumptions have been challenged. Another idea is that *Edmontosaurus* herds only migrated in search of food, not following any seasonal changes.

The locomotion of larger Hadrosauriformes has been the subject of fairly intensive study. *Edmontosaurus* is thought to have been primarily quadrupedal, meaning that it walked around on all fours.

*Edmontosaurus* is thought to have been a grazer, meaning that it ate low vegetation. Modern cows are an example of a grazer, as opposed to giraffes, which are browsers.

Despite its very large size, *Edmontosaurus* was prey for large Tyrannosaurs like *T. rex*. However, *T. rex* didn't always get its way. A specimen of *Edmontosaurus* showed signs of a serious *T. rex* bite wound that was also partially healed, showing that the *Edmontosaurus* lived for at least several weeks after the *T. rex* attack.

## Importance

Like many North American dinosaurs first discovered in the late 1800s, the taxonomic history of *Edmontosaurus* has been extremely complex. The reason behind this was the "Bone Wars," a feud between paleontologists Edward Drinker Cope and Othniel Charles Marsh, where each the two viciously tried to name more dinosaurs than the other. As such, other paleontologists were left to clean up, and *Edmontosaurus* was not classified properly until decades after its initial discovery and naming.

*Edmontosaurus* has been studied extremely extensively. The aforementioned locomotion debate was "settled" due to computer estimates suggesting *Edmontosaurus* could move faster on all fours than when walking on two legs, debunking a hypothesis that Hadrosaurs switched to bipedal locomotion when escaping predators. .
Carcharodontosaurus

***Carcharodontosaurus*** (car-car-oh-dont-oh-sore-us) was a genus of large predatory dinosaur that lived in Africa during the later stages of the Mid Cretaceous.

## Characteristics

The size of *Carcharodontosaurus* is not known for certain as its remains are quite fragmentary. However, large individuals could probably exceed 12 meters in length. Mass estimates for *Carcharodontosaurus* are typically greater than 6,000 kg.

*Carcharodontosaurus* had a large skull with serrated teeth. Its eyes were on the sides of its head, meaning that it probably did not have good 3D vision.

## The living creature

*Carcharodontosaurus* was an apex predator. Some estimates indicate it could hold more that 400 kg of meat in its jaws. It probably fed on medium-sized dinosaurs like *Ouranosaurus*.

## Importance

*Carcharodontosaurus* is relatively famous since it is occasionally considered the largest predatory dinosaur ever. However, not much of the animal is known, so such claims should be made with caution. *Giganotosaurus*, a relative of *Carcharodontosaurus*, is known from more complete remains, and considered larger by most experts.

Carcharodontosaurus skull with a Human skull
Megalodon

## C. megalodon

***O. megalodon*** (mega-low-don) is a species of prehistoric shark that lived worldwide for around 20 million years between the Oligocene and Pliocene epochs.

## Characteristics

Since sharks are cartilaginous, only the teeth and vertebrae of *O. megalodon* are preserved. However, recent estimates suggest an upper size of around, and possibly exceeding 15 meters. The largest estimates historically have reached 25 meters.

## The living creature

The bite of *O. megalodon* might be the highest of any known animal. Lower estimates indicate its bite force was at least 10,000 kg.

*O. megalodon* was an apex predator, well suited to taking down whales of all sizes. It probably focused mainly on small-medium sized whales, but is thought to have killed larger whales by biting off their fins. Evidence also suggests that *O. megalodon* rammed its prey from below to stun them.

At least the *O. megalodon* population in Peru is known to have coexisted with *Livyatan*, a large predatory whale. These animals probably avoided each other in most cases, but paleontologist Donald Prothero stated "It [*Livyatan*] could have eaten megalodon if it wanted to."

## Importance

Historically, *O. megalodon* teeth were thought to have been the tongues of dragons. Since its identity as a shark was established, a debate has broken out over which genus it should be assigned to. Seven genre have been proposed. Today, it is typically assigned to the genus *Otodus*. Due to its large size, *O. megalodon* is also one of the most famous prehistoric animals.
Archaeotherium

***Archaeotherium*** was an extinct genus of entelodont artiodactyl endemic that onced lived to North America and Eurasia, existing approximately 9.1 million years, from the late Eocene to early Miocene.

It is also part of the Entelodont family, large pig-like monsters with overlarge heads but with small brains (As it is not really smart).

## Characteristics

*Archaeotherium* was an cow-sized peccary with a large head with longer face that fills of shape canine teeth, humped shoulders, wide cheekbones, and bosses on the face similar to male warthogs, but without a pig-like nasal disk, which it is what similar to other family members of Entelodonts.

## The living creature

   *Archaeotherium* first appeared at the end of the Eocene and the start of the Oligocene, along with other canine predators like *Hyaenodon*, false or early Saber-toothed cats, and other mammals to hunt down on easy prey, from in North American and Eurasia.

*Archaeotherium* become the numbered one predators of the plains (later the Badlands and modern Eurasia), eating and killing their prey with their large teeth on camels, and early rhinos. *Archaeotherium* somewhat vanished from the fossil record, sometime after the *Hyaenodon* on the huge and low factor in the extinction for their unable to beat the new challenges, styles and prey to catch. However the species of Entelodont wasn't gone yet.

## Importance

This family member, *Archaeotherium*, have a main rival with the other top predator, *Hyaenodon*. There was a fossil evidence shows that Creodonts wasn't even afraid to hunt on juvenile Entelodonts, but was likely it is true. When the upper skull of *Archaeotherium* was little and small, a *Hyaenodon* grabbed it by the snout, shook it but didn't kill it and *Arcaeotherium* survive the brutal attack.

Though *Hyaenodon* was faster and have shape teeth, *Archaeotherium*'s jaws opens very wide to crush its head. And it have might been the same animals that fought each other over a dead corpse that *Hyaenodon* kill, in this evidence does suggest that. *Hyaenodon* was defeated by getting its shoulder blade was broken by *Archaeotherium* by using its ability of charge, which it was agreed that the creodont didn't have a weaponry to hold off from a hungry Entelodont, having the pig's revenge was over.
Lambeosaurus

***Lambeosaurus*** (lam-bee-oh-sore-us) was a genus of duck-billed dinosaur, or, Hadrosaur, that lived in North America during the Late Cretaceous.

## Characteristics

Large *Lambeosaurus* could reach about 9 meters in length and 4 meters in height. They were very similar to *Corythosaurus*, although, they did have a distinctive head crest.

## The living creature

*Lambeosaurus* was a herbivore. It would have been quadrupedal (four-legged) most of the time, perhaps only balancing on its back legs when attempting to access higher vegetation.

The use of the crest is uncertain. However, it probably served some display purpose or was used for communication. The related Hadrosaur *Corythosaurus* revealed that hearing was an important part of these dinosaur's lives.

## Importance

*Lambeosaurus* was discovered by its namesake, Lawrence Lamb. However, it was initially classified within the highly dubious genus *Trachodon*. After extensive study, it was established with in its current genus, *Lambeosaurus*.

*Lambeosaurus* is the genus after which the Lambeosaurine subfamily is named. This subfamily contains Hadrosaurs with hollow crests, including the famous *Parasaurolophus*.
Plesiosauria

The Plesiosauria or plesiosaurs are an order or clade of extinct Mesozoic marine reptiles, belonging to the Sauropterygia. Plesiosaurs first appeared in the latest Triassic Period, possibly in the Rhaetian stage, about 203 million years ago.

Plesiosaurs first appeared in the latest Triassic Period, possibly in the Rhaetian stage, about 203 million years ago.

[3] They became especially common during the Jurassic Period, thriving until their disappearance due to the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event at the end of the Cretaceous Period, about 66 million years ago. They had a worldwide oceanic distribution.

Plesiosaurs were among the first fossil reptiles discovered. In the beginning of the nineteenth century, scientists realised how distinctive their build was and they were named as a separate order in 1835. The first plesiosaurian genus, the eponymous *Plesiosaurus*, was named in 1821. Since then, more than a hundred valid species have been described. In the early twenty-first century, the number of discoveries has increased, leading to an improved understanding of their anatomy, relationships and way of life.

Plesiosaurs had a broad flat body and a short tail. Their limbs had evolved into four long flippers, which were powered by strong muscles attached to wide bony plates formed by the shoulder girdle and the pelvis. The flippers made a flying movement through the water. Plesiosaurs breathed air, and bore live young; there are indications that they were warm-blooded.

Plesiosaurs showed two main morphological types. Some species, with the "plesiosauromorph" build, had (sometimes extremely) long necks and small heads; these were relatively slow and caught small sea animals. Other species, some of them reaching a length of up to seventeen metres, had the "pliosauromorph" build with a short neck and a large head; these were apex predators, fast hunters of large prey. The two types are related to the traditional strict division of the Plesiosauria into two suborders, the long-necked Plesiosauroidea and the short-neck Pliosauroidea. Modern research, however, indicates that several "long-necked" groups might have had some short-necked members or vice versa. Therefore, the purely descriptive terms "plesiosauromorph" and "pliosauromorph" have been introduced, which do not imply a direct relationship. "Plesiosauroidea" and "Pliosauroidea" today have a more limited meaning. The term "plesiosaur" is properly used to refer to the Plesiosauria as a whole, but informally it is sometimes meant to indicate only the long-necked forms, the old Plesiosauroidea.
Argentinosaurus

***Argentinosaurus*** (ar-gen-teen-oh-sore-us) was a genus of Titanosaurian Sauropod that lived in South America during the later stages of the Mid Cretaceous. It is often considered to be the largest land animal ever.

## Characteristics

Size estimates of *Argentinosaurus* are disputed. The highest length estimates can reach 40 meters, whereas the lowest can be below 30 meters. Mass estimates range from 50,000 kg to 110,000 kg. However, many researchers, including many who consider *Argentinosaurus* to be the largest ever land animal, also consider the lower end of the mass spectrum to be more likely.

## The living creature

*Argentinosaurus* was a herbivore, like all Sauropods. The theropod predator *Mapusaurus* was found in the same formation. Since some evidence suggests that *Mapusaurus* was a pack-hunter, it is not inconceivable that *Mapusaurus* posed a threat to *Argentinosaurus*.

## Importance

*Argentinosaurus* size estimates have been highly scrutinized. While it is often credited as being the largest land animal ever, there are a few other Sauropods that might have been similar in size.

### Patagonian Titanosaurs

In addition to *Argentinosaurus*, a huge number of other Patagonian Titanosaur genera have been found from roughly the same time. *Antarctosaurus*, *Futalonkosaurus*, *Notocolossus*, *Patagotitan*, and *Puertasaurus*, are a few examples. Some of these might have been almost as large, or even larger than *Argentinosaurus*. Some paleontologists question the validity of some of these genera, suggesting they are either different *Argentinosaurus* species or even individuals. The argument is based on the fact that many of these genera come from a similar time and location, and are physically quite similar. This leads some paleontologists to suggest a highly variable *Argentinosaurus* genus as opposed to multiple genera that are only slightly different. However, it is important to remember that all of the above genera are currently recognized as valid.
Torvosaurus

An artist's reconstruction of the species Torvosaurus Tanneri.

***Torvosaurus*** (tor-vuh-saw-ruhs) is an extinct genus of megalosaurid theropod dinosaur that inhabited mid-late Cretaceous North America and Portugal approximately 165 to 148 million years ago. It possessed the most powerful biting strength of an Jurassic dinosaur, estimated at roughly 5,000 kilograms of force.

## Characteristics

Torvosaurus was a large predatory animal. Both species (T. gurneyi and T. tanneri) averaged four tons in weight and 10 to 11 meters long, although some claim it was capable of potentially attaining lengths of over 12 meters. It was also equipped with a large, narrow jaws, a robustly-built body, relatively long arms with three digits each and moderately tall legs.

## The living creature

Despite having very deadly hunting weapons within it's arsenal, Torvosaurus was not the apex predator of its time or habitat. It was forced to compete with predatory dinosaurs such as the abundant Allosaurus, Saurophaganax and Ceratosaurus, that occasionally hunted in duos. Stomach contents indicate that its main food sources were stegosaurs and sauropod younglings.

Torvosaurus fossils are particularly rare in comparison to carnivores such as Allosaurus and its slightly larger cousin; Saurophaganax, though the entirety of the animals remains have been found in the Morrison formation in America (Colorado, Wyoming and Utah) and aswell as Portugal.

## Importance

As stated earlier, Torvosaurus is relatively rare dinosaur compared to Allosaurus, but is just larger if not even bigger and just as frightening with equally deadly killing tools and are often found in close proximity to one-another and, despite being rare, is also one of the only Jurassic predators to be found on multiple continents.
Hesperornithoides

***Hesperornithoides*** (hess-per-or-nith-oides) was a genus of Troodontid dinosaur that lived in North America during the Late Jurassic.

## Characteristics

*Hesperornithoides* was a small, bird-like dinosaur. It grew to around a meter in length. It almost certainly possessed feathers, a trait which can be found among other Troodontids.

## The living creature

Unlike some other bird-like dinosaurs, Troodontids like *Hesperornithoides* were not capable of flight. However, *Hesperornithoides* might have been a small generalistic predator.

## Importance

*Hesperornithoides* is a highly significant genus. While most paleontologists believe birds to be the direct descendants of dinosaurs, some pointed out what has become known as the "temporal paradox." Most known bird-like dinosaurs existed during the Cretaceous, long after early birds such as *Archaeopteryx*. This led some to suggest that birds must have evolved separately from dinosaurs. However, *Hesperornithoides* shows that bird-like dinosaurs existed at a similar time to early avian dinosaurs, supporting the idea that the "temporal paradox" is not valid.
Dunkleosteus

Dunkleosteus terrelli

Dunkleosteus was a predatory placoderm fish from the Late Devonian period. Size estimates put it in 6 and 10 meters (20 and 30 feet) in length. At this size, it was the Apex predator of its sea. Although Titanichthys was larger than Dunkleosteus, Titanichthys was much less powerful because of its smaller jaw. Scientists think that Dunkleosteus had the most powerful bite of any non-chondrichthyan fish, roughly 4,000 kg per square inch. This would be even stronger than Rhizodus. The bite of Dunkleosteus may have been two times more powerful than that of Tyrannosaurus rex, the dinosaur that had the most powerful bite of any land animal.

Dunkleosteus was also incredibly armored, having enough protection to be impervious to every fish besides another Dunkleosteus. Dunkleosteus had a huge amount of armor around its head, although it did lack some around the rest of the fish.
Hatzegopteryx

A deviant art artist's illustration of Hatzegopteryx

***Hatzegopteryx*** (hat-see-gop-ter-icks) was a genus of very large Pterosaur that lived in what is now Romania during the Late Cretaceous.

## Characteristics

Due to lack of remains, the exact size of *Hatzegopteryx* is uncertain. Modern estimates indicate it was similar in size to the North American Pterosaur *Quetzalcoatlus*.

The skull of *Hatzegopteryx* was very large and very wide, with huge muscular attachments.

## The living creature

*Hatzegopteryx* is known from "Hateg Island," an Island in the Tethys Ocean, which once covered much of Africa, Central Asia, and Europe, and now is only thought to exist in the forms of bodies of water such as the Black and Caspian Seas.

Due to "isular dwarfism," Hateg Island was home to hadrosaurs, iguanodonts, and even sauropods that were far smaller than their mainland counterparts. Due to the absence of large theropods, *Hatzegopteryx* was possibly the apex predator of the island, feeding on all other dinosaurs and pterosaurs.

## Importance

Due to its enormous size, *Hatzegopteryx* is a candidate for the title of "largest known flying creature." Although, the aforementioned *Quetzalcoatlus* seems to be practically identical in size.

The neck of *Hatzegopteryx* has been analyzed. While the methods are imprecise, based on the enormity of the skull, *Hatzegopteryx* certainly had an immensely muscular neck.