The Prehistoric Giants Hall of Fame
What were the largest species of all time? Does the Tyrannosaurus rex make the list?
- By Brian Switek
- Smithsonian magazine, April 2012
Titanoboa was one gigantic snake. It lived around 58 to 60 million years ago, a scant several million years after the mass extinction that wiped out the dinosaurs. It could grow 42 feet or more in length and weigh more than a ton, vastly outslithering the previous fossil record holder, a 40-million-year-old, 33-foot-long snake called Gigantophis. But Titanoboa is just one proud inductee in the Prehistoric Giants Hall of Fame. Meet the other record-holders.
(Jon Hughes / Dorling Kindersley)
There have been many big birds in the history of life, from the 10-foot-high flightless elephant birds of Madagascar to the carnivorous, earth-bound, 9-foot-tall Brontornis of prehistoric Patagonia. But the roughly 6-million-year-old Argentavis magnificens was special. With a wingspan of 23 feet, this was the largest flying bird of all time. Exactly how such a large bird took off is a matter of debate, but its anatomy indicates that it was primarily a glider, like modern vultures and condors. Unless there is an even larger fossil bird out there, Argentavis may represent the upper limit for how big birds could get without sacrificing the power of flight.
Comments (5)
yea but mega croc wasnt talked about you know the croc that was 40 + ft lg.. im goin to make a sci-fi movie called mega croc vs titanoboa... aND SIZE DOES MATTER CAUSE THEY ARE TALKIN ABOUT PREHISTORIC GIANTS NOT TINY JELLYFISH
Posted by Albert braved the An Ancient Dwelling quest and wants to share the rewards! on April 27,2012 | 10:34 AM
What, no largest lizard ever? How could you pass over Megalania Prisca, all 20 foot + and 2000 lbs. + of it?
Posted by Jerrold Alpern on April 16,2012 | 03:21 PM
Do any of these exceed the largest mammal? Are there any fossils of mammals bigger than the Great Blue Whale?
Posted by Jean on March 25,2012 | 08:11 PM
Size is irrelevant. The most fascinating critter is the tiny jellyfish that regenerates itself.(turntopsis nutricula)?
Posted by Herman King on March 25,2012 | 09:21 AM
Dude! How can you possibly not have a category for the biggest flying animal ever? Azhdarchid pterosaurs like Quetzalcoatlus and Hatzegopteryx dwarf the puny Argentavis and more interesting than just a bigger buzzard. It's not like these pterosaurs are so well-known that they might be left out (like the blue whale) as being universally known. Sigh. Still, any excuse to haul out some very nice paleoart, so thanks for that.
Posted by Mike from Ottawa on March 22,2012 | 02:50 PM