Hipporex's Guide to Interesting and Unique Prehistoric Fauna

Hipporex said:
NUMBER SEVENTY-SIX: This next creature is an ancient cousin of the rocks that were is
@ThylacineAlive's last profile picture

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  • Animal: Praepusa
  • Name Pronunciation: Pray-poo-suh
  • Name Meaning: "Before seal"
  • Named By: Kretzoi, 1941
  • Species: P. pannonica (type species), P. boeska, P. magyaricus, P. tarchankutica, and P. vindobonensis
  • Classification: Life, Eukaryota, Animalia, Chordata, Vertebrata, Gnathostomata, Osteichthyes, Sarcopterygii, Tetrapodomorpha, Tetrapoda, Reptiliomorpha, Amniota, Synapsida, Therapsida, Mammalia, Placentilia, Boreoeutheria, Carnivoramorpha, Carnivoraformes, Carnivora, Pinnipedia, Phocidae, Phocinae
  • When: ~ 13,650,000 B.C.E. to 3,600,000 B.C.E. (Serravallian stage of the Micoene epoch to Zanclean of the Pliocene epoch)
  • Where: Europe
  • Size: *see below*
  • Diet: Carnivore
The smallest extant pinniped is arguably the ringed seal with a minimum adult length of 39.5 inches (100 cm). But Praepusa would of made even the tiniest ringed seals seem large. At approximately 23.6 inches (60 cm), Praepusa currently holds the title for smallest pinniped ever. Based on the rocks it has been found in, we believe this genus inhabited shallow marine waters. Given its miniature build Praepusa subsisted mainly on small fishes and marine invertebrates. While hunting for said food Praepusa would of had to of been very cautious as it would of made the perfect bite-sized snack for any of the predatory cetaceans or sharks it swam alongside.

(Below: Holotype of P. boeska)
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(Below: Ringed seal (by @Newzooboy))
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I find the Internet's lack of Praepusa pictures disturbing

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I love this. I want one. Thank you for letting me know that this existed.
 
NUMBER SEVENTY-EIGHT: My what big eyes you have

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  • Animal: Ophthalmosaurus
  • Name Pronunciation: Of-fal-moe-sore-us
  • Name Meaning: "Eye lizard"
  • Named By: Harry Govier Seeley‭ ‬-‭ ‬1874
  • Species: O. icenicus (type species)
  • Classification: Life, Eukaryota, Animalia, Chordata, Vertebrata, Gnathostomata, Osteichthyes, Sarcopterygii, Tetrapodomorpha, Tetrapoda, Reptiliomorpha, Amniota, Sauropsida, Ichthyosauromorpha, Ichthyopterygia, Ichthyosauria, Ophthalmosauridae, Ophthalmosaurinae
  • When: ~ 165,000,000 B.C.E. to 160,000,000 B.C.E. (Callovian stage of the Middle Jurassic epoch to the Oxfordian stage of the Late Jurassic epoch)
  • Where: Europe (England, France, and Greenland) and North America (Mexico and Wyoming)
  • Size: 19.5 feet (6 m) long
  • Diet: Carnivore (ammonites, fishes, and squid-like belemnites)
  • 3 Contemporaries: Cryptoclidus eurymerus (plesiosauroid), Liopleurodon ferox (pliosaurid), and Tyrannoneustes lythrodectikos (crocodyliform)
  • Pop Culture Appearances: Walking with Dinosaurs (1999) - episode 3: "Cruel Seas"
Ichthyosauria was a group of marine reptiles that arose around 250 million years ago (Early Triassic) and died out about 90 million years ago (Late Cretaceous). They were air-breathing, warm-blooded, and may have had a layer of blubber for insulation. They have no close living relatives but are distantly related to saurians (Sauria) like the tuatara, squamates, turtles, and archosaurs. Ophthalmosaurus had a tear-drop-shaped body and a caudal fin shaped like a half-moon. Its fore fins were more developed than the hind ones, which suggests that the frontlimbs did the steering while the tail did the propelling. Ophthalmosaurus' chief claim to fame is its enormous eyes (some reaching about 9 inches or 22.86 cm in diameter) which were extremely large in proportion to its body. The eyes occupied almost all of the space in the skull and were protected by bony plates (sclerotic rings), which most likely assisted to maintain the shape of the eyeballs against water pressure at depth. The size of the eyes and the sclerotic rings suggests that Ophthalmosaurus hunted at a depth where there was little to no light or that it may have hunted at night when prey was more active. Like other ichthyosaurs, Ophthalmosaurus gave birth to its pups tail-first to avoid drowning them. Skeletons of unhatched young have been found in over fifty females on fossil finds, and litter sizes ranged from two to eleven pups. Whether ichthyosaurs provided parental care, like some other marine reptiles such as plesiosaurs, is currently unknown. Calculations suggest that an adult Ophthalmosaurus could stay submerged for approximately 20 minutes or more. The swimming speed of Ophthalmosaurus has been estimated at 5.5 mph (2.5 m/s) or greater, but even assuming a conservative speed of 2.2 mph (0.98 m/s), an Ophthalmosaurus would be able to dive to 2,000 feet (600 m) and return to the surface within 20 minutes. Scientists have found evidence of the bends in the bone joints of Ophthalmosaurus skeletons, possibly caused by evasive tactics. Modern cetaceans have been known to get the bends when they ascend rapidly to escape predators.

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(Below: Ophthalmosaurus as it appears in Walking with Dinosaurs)
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(Below: Cryptoclidus eurymerus)
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(Below: Liopleurodon ferox)
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(Below: Tyrannoneustes lythrodectikos)
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(Below: Clip from Walking with Dinosaurs about Ophthalmosaurus) (please note the the Liopleurodon at end is WAY over-sized)

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It's the first day of summer break and I couldn't be more happy

NUMBER SEVENTY-NINE: In honor of the recent red panda (Ailurus fulgens) birth at my home zoo, the Sacramento Zoo

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  • Animal: Simocyon
  • Name Pronunciation: Sigh-moe-sigh-on
  • Name Meaning: "Short-snouted dog"
  • Named By: Johann Andreas Wagner - 1858
  • Species: S. primigenius (type species), S. batalleri, and S. diaphorus
  • Classification: Life, Eukaryota, Animalia, Chordata, Vertebrata, Gnathostomata, Osteichthyes, Sarcopterygii, Tetrapodomorpha, Tetrapoda, Reptiliomorpha, Amniota, Synapsida, Therapsida, Mammalia, Placentilia, Boreoeutheria, Carnivoramorpha, Carnivoraformes, Carnivora, Ailuridae, Simocyoninae
  • When: 9,700,000 B.C.E. to 8,700,000 B.C.E. (Miocene epoch)
  • Where: Europe and North America
  • Size: *see below*
  • Diet: Carnivore
The red panda of today is the last and only surviving member of the carnivoran family Ailuridae. This family was once much more diverse and has included seven extinct genera within three subfamilies. Simocyon differed from the extant red panda in various ways. 1) It was a lot bigger. The red panda has a head-body length of 20 to 25 inches (50.8 to 63.5 cm), but the largest Simocyon species, S. batalleri, was "as big as a small mountain lion (Puma concolor)," with a head-body length of 4.6 feet (1.4 m). 2) It lead a different life. Red pandas in optimal conditions will very rarely leave the trees and prefer to be arboreal. Simocyon however was far more terrestrial. That being said they still could climb trees to rest or escape danger, but most of their daily activities would have taken place on the ground. 3) It had a much different diet. The red panda is an omnivore, predominately eating bamboo, but also snacking on small mammals, birds, eggs, flowers, and berries. Simocyon however was hypercarnivorous, meaning that over 70% of its diet was made of meat. They could have feed on birds, primates, rodents, small ungulates, and carrion.

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Hipporex said:
NUMBER SEVENTY-EIGHT: My what big eyes you have

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  • Animal: Ophthalmosaurus
  • Name Pronunciation: Of-fal-moe-sore-us
  • Name Meaning: "Eye lizard"
  • Named By: Harry Govier Seeley‭ ‬-‭ ‬1874
  • Species: O. icenicus (type species)
  • Classification: Life, Eukaryota, Animalia, Chordata, Vertebrata, Gnathostomata, Osteichthyes, Sarcopterygii, Tetrapodomorpha, Tetrapoda, Reptiliomorpha, Amniota, Sauropsida, Ichthyosauromorpha, Ichthyopterygia, Ichthyosauria, Ophthalmosauridae, Ophthalmosaurinae
  • When: ~ 165,000,000 B.C.E. to 160,000,000 B.C.E. (Callovian stage of the Middle Jurassic epoch to the Oxfordian stage of the Late Jurassic epoch)
  • Where: Europe (England, France, and Greenland) and North America (Mexico and Wyoming)
  • Size: 19.5 feet (6 m) long
  • Diet: Carnivore (ammonites, fishes, and squid-like belemnites)
  • 3 Contemporaries: Cryptoclidus eurymerus (plesiosauroid), Liopleurodon ferox (pliosaurid), and Tyrannoneustes lythrodectikos (crocodyliform)
  • Pop Culture Appearances: Walking with Dinosaurs (1999) - episode 3: "Cruel Seas"
Ichthyosauria was a group of marine reptiles that arose around 250 million years ago (Early Triassic) and died out about 90 million years ago (Late Cretaceous). They were air-breathing, warm-blooded, and may have had a layer of blubber for insulation. They have no close living relatives but are distantly related to saurians (Sauria) like the tuatara, squamates, turtles, and archosaurs. Ophthalmosaurus had a tear-drop-shaped body and a caudal fin shaped like a half-moon. Its fore fins were more developed than the hind ones, which suggests that the frontlimbs did the steering while the tail did the propelling. Ophthalmosaurus' chief claim to fame is its enormous eyes (some reaching about 9 inches or 22.86 cm in diameter) which were extremely large in proportion to its body. The eyes occupied almost all of the space in the skull and were protected by bony plates (sclerotic rings), which most likely assisted to maintain the shape of the eyeballs against water pressure at depth. The size of the eyes and the sclerotic rings suggests that Ophthalmosaurus hunted at a depth where there was little to no light or that it may have hunted at night when prey was more active. Like other ichthyosaurs, Ophthalmosaurus gave birth to its pups tail-first to avoid drowning them. Skeletons of unhatched young have been found in over fifty females on fossil finds, and litter sizes ranged from two to eleven pups. Whether ichthyosaurs provided parental care, like some other marine reptiles such as plesiosaurs, is currently unknown. Calculations suggest that an adult Ophthalmosaurus could stay submerged for approximately 20 minutes or more. The swimming speed of Ophthalmosaurus has been estimated at 5.5 mph (2.5 m/s) or greater, but even assuming a conservative speed of 2.2 mph (0.98 m/s), an Ophthalmosaurus would be able to dive to 2,000 feet (600 m) and return to the surface within 20 minutes. Scientists have found evidence of the bends in the bone joints of Ophthalmosaurus skeletons, possibly caused by evasive tactics. Modern cetaceans have been known to get the bends when they ascend rapidly to escape predators.

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(Below: Ophthalmosaurus as it appears in Walking with Dinosaurs)
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(Below: Cryptoclidus eurymerus)
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(Below: Liopleurodon ferox)
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(Below: Tyrannoneustes lythrodectikos)
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(Below: Clip from Walking with Dinosaurs about Ophthalmosaurus) (please note the the Liopleurodon at end is WAY over-sized)

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I'm not quite sure why but until I actually saw a fossil of one of these, I always thought they were a much smaller animal. I always thought maybe around 5-6 feet in length at most.

~Thylo
 
ThylacineAlive said:
I'm not quite sure why but until I actually saw a fossil of one of these, I always thought they were a much smaller animal. I always thought maybe around 5-6 feet in length at most.

~Thylo
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Well given how in popular media ichthyosaurs are generally portrayed as reptilian dolphins you probably got the impression they were dolphin-sized. I know I did until I saw a size comparison online.
 
Hipporex said:
Well given how in popular media ichthyosaurs are generally portrayed as reptilian dolphins you probably got the impression they were dolphin-sized. I know I did until I saw a size comparison online.
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That is probably it. Popular media also made me think Plesiosaurs were a lot larger than they actually were.

~Thylo
 
NUMBER EIGHTY: The bigger the croc, the bigger the chomp

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  • Animal: Giant caiman (Purussaurus)
  • Name Pronunciation: Puh-roo-sore-us
  • Name Meaning: "Purus River lizard"
  • Named By: Barbosa Rodrigues‭ ‬-‭ ‬1892
  • Species: P.‭ ‬brasiliensis‭ (‬type‭)‬,‭ ‬P.‭ ‬neivensis, and‭ ‬P.‭ ‬mirandai
  • Classification: Life, Eukaryota, Animalia, Chordata, Vertebrata, Gnathostomata, Osteichthyes, Sarcopterygii, Tetrapodomorpha, Tetrapoda, Reptiliomorpha, Amniota, Sauropsida, Archosauromorpha, Archosauriformes, Archosauria, Pseudosuchia, Paracrocodylomorpha, Loricata, Crocodylomorpha, Crocodyliformes, Mesoeucrocodylia, Metasuchia, Notosuchia, Crocodilia, Alligatoroidae, Caimaninae
  • When: ~ 20,400,000 B.C.E. to 5,300,000 B.C.E. (Miocene epoch)
  • Where: South America - Brazil, Columbia, Peru, and Venezuela
  • Size: Estimate 34 to 41 feet (10.36 to 12.50 m) long (As only skulls have been found, the actual length is not certain.)
  • Diet: Carnivore
  • 3 Contemporaries: Granastrapotherium (ungulate), Gryposuchus (gavialoid), and Stupendemys (turtle)
The giant caiman was one of the largest known crocodyliformes ever to have existed. However, three other extinct crocodyliformes, Sarcosuchus, Deinosuchus, and Rhamphosuchus had similar body sizes. The geologically older Sarcosuchus and Deinosuchus (from the Early and Late Cretaceous epoch, respectively) were longer, but, one study also indicates that giant caiman may have been heavier than either Sarcosuchus or Deinosuchus, as it had a much broader, shorter snout and this would require a thicker, stronger neck to support the larger head. Rhamphosuchus lived around the same time as the giant caiman, but was slightly shorter and probably lighter. It had a more slender, gharial-like snout and lived on the Indian subcontinent. Bite force has been estimated to be around 69,000 newtons. (Compare that to 16,460 newtons from the living estuarine crocodile, Crocodylus porosus.) The large size and estimated strength of this animal appears to have allowed it to include a wide range of prey in its diet, making it an apex predator in its ecosystem. As an adult, it would have preyed upon large to very large vertebrates such as the giant ground sloths, massive turtles, and ungulates present within its ecosystem, with no real competition from sympatric, smaller, carnivores. Researchers have proposed that the large size of the giant caiman, though offering many advantages, may also have led to its vulnerability. The constantly changing environment on a large geological scale may have reduced its long-term survival, favoring smaller species more resilient to ecological shifts. In other words, it was over-specialized and couldn't survive when its habitat changed, unlike smaller related species of caiman. Another example of over-specialization allowing an animal to flourish for a while but ultimately leading to eventual extinction. Analysis of a biomechanical model of the skull of the giant caiman indicated that it was capable of performing the death roll maneuver used by extant crocodilians to subdue and dismember their prey. For this species, however, this would require fairly deep water as it was a wide-bodied animal and would not have spun easily in shallow water.

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(Below: Granastrapotherium)
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(Below: Gryposuchus)
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(Below: Stupendemys)
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NUMBER EIGHTY: This next genus was really the cat's meow

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  • Animal: Megantereon
  • Name Pronunciation: Meg-an-ter-e-on
  • Name Meaning: "Giant beast"
  • Named By: Croizet and Jobert‭ ‬-‭ ‬1828‭
  • Species: Megantereon cultridens (type species), M. falconeri, and M. whitei are always considered valid but many more species have been proposed
  • Classification: Life, Eukaryota, Animalia, Chordata, Vertebrata, Gnathostomata, Osteichthyes, Sarcopterygii, Tetrapodomorpha, Tetrapoda, Reptiliomorpha, Amniota, Synapsida, Therapsida, Mammalia, Placentilia, Boreoeutheria, Carnivoramorpha, Carnivoraformes, Carnivora, Felidae, Machairodontinae, Smilodontini
  • When: ~ 5,300,000 B.C.E. to 126,000 B.C.E. (Pleistocene epoch)
  • Where: North America, Eurasia, and Africa
  • Size: 28 inches (0.7 m) tall at the shoulder
  • Diet: Carnivore
  • 3 Contemporaries: Deinotherium (proboscidean), Hipparion (horse), Homo erectus (hominid)
Today, cats can be segregated into two subgroups: Pantherinae and Felinae. However if we look to the fossil record we'll see that the family Felidae has left two subfamilies in the past: Proailurinae and Machairodontinae. Proailurinae contained just one member, Proailurus, a small, 22 pound (10 kg) tree living felid that roamed Eurasia approximately 25 million years ago. Machairodontinae on the other hand contained approximately 18 genera. Some of its members housed a very a pair of famous delicate, yet lethal, weapons: saber teeth. One such saber-toothed cat was Megantereon. Megantereon was built like a large modern jaguar (Panthera onca), but somewhat heavier. It had stocky forelimbs with the lower half of these forelimbs being lion-sized (Panthera leo). It had large neck muscles designed to deliver a powerful shearing bite. In some species the lower jaw sagged down at the front. And of course Megantereon had a pair of prominent saber teeth protruding from its upper jaw. Megantereon may have preyed on larger artiodactyls, horses, or the young of pachyderms. Also, both bite mark evidence and carbon isotope ratios from Megantereon show this cat occasionally preyed on human-relative Homo erectus. Despite its size, Megantereon would have also likely been scansorial and therefore able to climb trees, like the earlier Promegantereon (thought to be its ancestor), and unlike the later, more-famous Smilodon, which is believed to have spent most/all its time on the ground. In addition to this, Megantereon had relatively small carnassial teeth, indicating that once making a kill, it would have eaten its prey at its leisure, either hidden deep in the bushes or up a tree away from potential rivals. This indicates a similarity in lifestyle with modern leopards (Panthera pardus). It was also probably solitary. It is unlikely that Megantereon simply bit its prey as the long, saber-teeth that it shared with Smilodon were not strong enough to leave buried inside a struggling prey animal: the teeth would break off, and thus their tactic for killing remains uncertain. However, it is now generally thought that Megantereon, like other saber-toothed cats, used its long saber teeth to deliver a killing throat bite, severing most of the major nerves and blood vessels. While the teeth would still risk damage, the prey animal would be killed quickly enough that any struggles would be feeble at best. Early species of Megantereon are thought to of been Smilodon's ancestor.

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(Below: Melanistic Megantereon taking down a Megantereon)
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(Below: Megantereon vs. Homo erectus)
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(Below: Proailurus)
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(Below: Promegantereon)
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(Below: Deinotherium, Hipparion, and Megantereon)
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NUMBER EIGHTY-TWO: June 22 was world camel day and I'm nothing if not punctual

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  • Animal: Titan camel (Titanotylopus)
  • Name Pronunciation: Tie-tan-oh-tie-lope-us
  • Name Meaning: "Giant knobby foot"
  • Named By: Barbour and Schultz - 1934
  • Species: Titanotylopus nebraskensis (type species) and T. spatulus
  • Classification: Life, Eukaryota, Animalia, Chordata, Vertebrata, Gnathostomata, Osteichthyes, Sarcopterygii, Tetrapodomorpha, Tetrapoda, Reptiliomorpha, Amniota, Synapsida, Therapsida, Mammalia, Placentilia, Boreoeutheria, Ungulata, Cetartiodactyla, Camelidae, Camelinae, Camelini
  • When: ~ 10,300,000 B.C.E. to 30,000 B.C.E. (late Miocene epoch to late Pleistocene epoch)
  • Where: North America - United States - Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, and Texas
  • Size: Big
  • Diet: Herbivore
The titan camel appears to have been the largest camelid ever. It reached a shoulder height of about 11 to 12 feet (3.3 to 3.5 m) and weight approximately 2.2 tons (2000 kg). In comparison, the living dromedary camel (Camelus dromedarius), reaches 6 to 7 feet (1.8 to 2.1 meters) tall at the shoulders and weighs up to 1,190 pounds (540 kg). Adult males were about 20 percent taller and considerably heavier than adult females. Males also had a pair of huge canine teeth that researchers think the animals used against other males during the breeding season. Like modern camels, it possessed a hump for fat storage; evidence for this is provided by the long neural spines on its thoracic vertebrae. Unlike some other extinct camels, the titan camel had the soft foot pads seen in modern species. The Nebraska titan camel (T. nebraskensis) is the younger of the two species. However it's worth noting not all authorities are convinced that the spatula titan camel (T. spatulus) truly belongs to the genus, for many classify it as Gigantocamelus fricki based on comparative jaw morphology. Nevertheless, it's considered rather likely that the two species are related, regardless of their genus classification.

(Below: Titan camel compared to the extinct California camel and the extant dromedary camel)
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Also, question to those that read this thread: What type of animals do want to be highlighted more? Dinosaurs? Synapsids? Marine reptiles? Something else? Or do you not really care?
 
Hipporex said:
Also, question to those that read this thread: What type of animals do want to be highlighted more? Dinosaurs? Synapsids? Marine reptiles? Something else? Or do you not really care?
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I'll refrain from saying, "ALL OF THEM", and cast a vote for marine reptiles. Ancient oceans were weird and cool, and I'd love to see more of your profiles on the creatures that lived in the depths. Synapsids would be a secondary choice for me, being how distant and yet close all of us are to the stem mammals. Dinosaurs are always good one way or another.
 
Dassie rat said:
Please note that mammals are synapsids and that synapsids are not reptiles.
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Er, I don't think anything in my post implied that synapsids are or were reptiles, if you're addressing me. And yes, you're absolutely right, modern mammals are indeed synapsids, as opposed to sauropsids that consist of reptiles and birds. That was my intent in calling early synapsids stem mammals, as opposed to our current mammals, which perhaps is an erroneous way of calling them. Pardon me if there was any confusion in my post
 
NUMBER EIGHTY-THREE: @Hammy Ask and you shall receive
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  • Animal: Metriorhynchus
  • Name Pronunciation: Met-ree-oh-rink-us
  • Name Meaning: "Moderate snout"
  • Named By: Christian Erich Hermann von Meyer‭ ‬-‭ ‬1830
  • Species: M. brachyrhynchus, M. casamiquelai, M. geoffroyii (type), M. hastifer, M. littoreus, M. moreli, M. palpebosus, M. superciliosus, and M. westermanni
  • Classification: Life, Eukaryota, Animalia, Chordata, Vertebrata, Gnathostomata, Osteichthyes, Sarcopterygii, Tetrapodomorpha, Tetrapoda, Reptiliomorpha, Amniota, Sauropsida, Archosauromorpha, Archosauriformes, Archosauria, Pseudosuchia, Paracrocodylomorpha, Loricata, Crocodylomorpha, Crocodyliformes, Mesoeucrocodylia, Metasuchia, Notosuchia, Thalattosuchia, Metriorhynchidae, Metriorhynchinae
  • When: ~ 167,000,000 B.C.E. to 155,000,000 B.C.E. (Callovian stage through to Kimmeridgian stage of the Jurassic period)
  • Where: Europe
  • Size: 9.8 13.1 feet (3 m 4) long
  • Diet: Carnivore
  • Contemporaries: Metriorhynchus lived alongside Ophthalmosaurus (ichthyosaur), a marine animal which has already been mentioned on this thread. Likewise it also lived alongside the 3 species which were mentioned as contemporaries of Ophthalmosaurus - Cryptoclidus eurymerus (plesiosauroid), Liopleurodon ferox (pliosaurid), and Tyrannoneustes lythrodectikos (crocodyliform)
Metriorhynchus was a true saltwater crocodile, even more so than THE saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus). (Well I mean it didn't actually belong to Crocodylidae but you get my point). The legs had evolved to become more like flippers,‭ ‬and the tail sported a crescent-shaped fluke.‭ ‬It is likely that the tail provided primary locomotion in the water with the legs being used for maneuvering. It is however unknown if Metriorhynchus never came onto the land. Perhaps they came onto land to lay eggs like modern sea turtles? It is also possible they gave live birth out at sea like mosasaurs and ichthyosaurs. The truth is we don't know. If Metriorhynchus did ever venture onto land it certainly would have been very cumbersome and vulnerable to attack from predatory dinosaurs. Metriorhynchus was a versatile and opportunistic predator, regularly preying upon both armored ammonites and fast-moving fishes. There is also evidence of them occasionally snacking on the carcasses of pterosaurs, large plesiosaurs, and even Leedsichthys, the perhaps the largest non-tetrapod bony fish ever. Metriorynchus had nasal salt glands which, like the salt glands of all other marine reptiles, were used to remove excess salt. This means that it would have been able to "drink" salt-water and eat equally salty prey, such as cephalopods, without dehydrating. A rather inaccurate Metriorynchus appeared in Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006) as one of the film's antagonists.

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(Below: Metriorynchus vs a woolly mammoth in Ice Age: The Meltdown)
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NUMBER EIGHTY-FOUR: I'm too tired to come up with a witty intro.

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  • Animal: Moschops
  • Name Pronunciation: Moe-shops
  • Name Meaning: "Calf face"
  • Named By: Robert Broom - 1911
  • Species: M. capensis (type) and M. koupensis
  • Classification: Life, Eukaryota, Animalia, Chordata, Vertebrata, Gnathostomata, Osteichthyes, Sarcopterygii, Tetrapodomorpha, Tetrapoda, Reptiliomorpha, Amniota, Synapsida, Therapsida, Dinocephalia, Tapinocephalia, Tapinocephalidae
  • When: ~ 165,000,000 B.C.E. to 160,000,000 B.C.E. (Capitanian stage of the Permian period)
  • Where: Africa - South Africa - Karoo region
  • Size: 8.9 feet (2.7 m) long
  • Diet: Herbivore
  • 3 Contemporaries: Anteosaurus (non-mammalian synapsid), Bradysaurus (pareiasaur reptile), Jonkeria (non-mammalian synapsid)
Moschops is one of the few semi-famous non-mammalian synapsids due to its inclusion in many books, museums, and online articles that discuss Permian fauna. Many people may not know its name but have at least seen a picture of it. Also apparently there was an 80s British TV show claymation called Moschops about a Moschops named... (wait for it) ...Moschops. The upper bone in the skull of Moschops was roughly 3.9 inches (10 cm) thick, thicker than any other of the known animal of its day. One theory for this skull thickness is that Moschops took part in head butting, dominance contests. This does not mean that Moschops charged at one another, rather they most likely just walked up to face one another and then pushed with their heads. Further support for the above theory comes from the overall morphology of the Moschops skeleton. The forelegs of Moschops carried the body higher than the rear limbs resulting in a sloping back. This would mean that a large proportion of the body mass was carried on the fore quarters and reinforced by the rear. This build probably means that dominance contests in Moschops were about projecting body weight forwards, possibly like sumo wrestlers do today in their matches. This build however also means that Moschops was not a runner, and could not rely upon either speed or agility to escape predators. Still, a fully grown Moschops would have been nearly twice as big as most of the known South African predators of the time, except for Anteosaurus. The idea of dominance displays in Moschops is also indicative of social interaction between individuals. As such Moschops may have moved in small groupings or even herds with the dominance contests being for mating rights within the herd. It has also been suggested that in addition to attaining a large size, Moschops avoided predators by living a semiaquatic lifestyle like a modern hippopotamus. The heavy head could have been useful for diving after food.

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(Below: Moschops and a Bradysaurus )
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(Below: Anteosaurus)
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(Below: Jonkeria)
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(Below: Moschops the TV show)
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Hipporex said:
Also apparently there was an 80s British TV show claymation called Moschops about a Moschops named... (wait for it) ...Moschops.
Click to expand...
What do you mean "apparently"? Isn't that the best-known fact about the species? America misses out on all the best stuff.
 
NUMBER EIGHTY-FIVE: The size of this next lad is absolutely shell-shocking

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  • Animal: Parapuzosia
  • Name Pronunciation: Pah-rah-pu-zo-se-ah
  • Name Meaning: "Near Puzosia" (Puzosia means "snail axis")
  • Named By: Nowak‭ ‬-‭ ‬1913
  • Species: P. americana, P. boesei, P. bradyi, P. corbarica, P. daubreei (type species), P. seppenradensis
  • Classification: Life, Eukaryota, Animalia, Mollusca, Cephalopoda,‭ ‬Ammonoidea,‭ Ammonitida, ‬Desmoceratidae
  • When: ~ 94,000,000 B.C.E. to 73,000,000 B.C.E. (Late Cretaceous epoch)
  • Where: Africa, Europe, and North America
  • Size: Big
  • Diet: Carnivore
Parapuzosia was one big ammonite. With a shell of 5.9 feet (1.8 m) at its widest part P. bradyi is the largest discovered North American ammonite. However, the ever larger European P. seppenradensis, was the largest ammonite of all time. Maximum size estimates vary but it may have had a shell of 8.4 feet (2.5 m), or perhaps even up to 11 feet (3.5 m), at its widest part. Parapuzosia is thought to of been a pelagic‭ ‬predator, feeding of other oceanic organisms.‭ ‬These may have included fishes,‭ ‬other cephalopods (including squids and even other ammonites),‭ ‬as well as possibly even smaller marine reptiles if they could catch them.‭ ‬As far as locomotion goes,‭ ‬Parapuzosia would have had a siphon pointing out of the shell that could shoot out water like a jet,‭ ‬just like we can see in other cephalopods such as squids,‭ ‬octopuses,‭ ‬cuttlefishes, and nautiluses.‭ ‬It’s probable that Parapuzosia may have had a greater range of vertical movement in the water column as opposed to distance travel given that such behavior has been observed in squids and nautiluses. When a Parapuzosia had a prey item such as a fish within its tentacles,‭ ‬the prey would have been manipulated and positioned to be near the mouth.‭ ‬This would have been a strong,‭ ‬very tough beak that could slice flesh as well as crush shells and bones.‭ ‬Parapuzosia may have been prey to other predators themselves however.‭ ‬When still growing up they may have been preyed upon by sharks with exceptionally tough teeth like Cretoxyrhina,‭ ‬as well as mosasaurs such as Globidens and Prognathodon which had specially adapted teeth for cracking and breaking up the shells of armored prey.‭ ‬Even larger Parapuzosia may not have been safe from the largest mosasaurs such as Tylosaurus and Mosasaurus that through sheer size might have still had the jaw power to break open a Parapuzosia shell.

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NUMBER EIGHTY-SIX: Life started in the sea, and, sometimes, life likes to pay its hometown a visit

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  • Animal: Otter bear (Kolponomos)
  • Named By: Ruben Arthur Stirton - 1960
  • Species: K. clallamensis (type species) and K. newportensis
  • Classification: Life, Eukaryota, Animalia, Chordata, Vertebrata, Gnathostomata, Osteichthyes, Sarcopterygii, Tetrapodomorpha, Tetrapoda, Reptiliomorpha, Amniota, Synapsida, Therapsida, Mammalia, Placentilia, Boreoeutheria, Carnivoramorpha, Carnivoraformes, Carnivora, Ursidae, Amphicynodontinae
  • When: ~ 20,000,000 B.C.E. (Miocene epoch)
  • Where: North America - United States - Oregon and Washington
  • Size: 4 feet (1.2 meters) long
  • Diet: Carnivore
Originally mistaken for some sort of weird raccoon relative, the otter bear was a unique beast. It had a downturned snout and broad, heavy molars that would have been suited to a diet of hard-shelled prey. It is believed to have spent its days roaming the beaches and coasts scavenging for washed up carcasses and prying oysters and other marine invertebrates from rocks and the sea floor, perhaps even diving to forage. Large neck muscle attachments and robust foot bones combine with these features to suggest that the otter bear filled a unique niche among marine carnivorans, approached today only by the sea otter. Recent studies from the American Museum of Natural History also show that it bit into and dispatched its prey just like a saber-toothed cat. Both the bear and the cat used a similar system of lower jaw-swings to deliver the killing bite. The bear would have used its lower jaw to help pry shellfishes off rocks, with its neck backing up the jaw to provide more power. Once in the mouth, it would be the task of the molars to crush the shells of whatever was caught. Due to the lack of a complete skeleton, however, it is difficult to make any inferences about this genus's other adaptations.

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