Hipporex's Guide to Interesting and Unique Prehistoric Fauna

Hipporex · 7 May 2019

ZooBinh said:
Could I request a prehistoric species found in Vietnam?

Sure.

Hipporex · 9 May 2019

@ZooBinh Here you go...

SIXTY-THREE: Gigantopithecus has made two Hollywood appearances, and for unknown reasons both instances involved the genus deciding to break out in song and dance.

Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012)

The Jungle Book (2016)

Despite this, scientists are pretty sure Gigantopithecus was not musically inclined.

Animal: Gigantopithecus blacki
Name Pronunciation: Jy-gan-toe-pif-e-kus black-e
Name Meaning: "Black's giant ape;" blacki honors the friend and colleague of von Koenigswald, Davidson Black
Named By: Gustav Heinrich Ralph von Koenigswald - 1935
Classification: Life, Eukaryota, Animalia, Chordata, Vertebrata, Gnathostomata, Osteichthyes, Sarcopterygii, Tetrapodomorpha, Tetrapoda, Reptiliomorpha, Amniota, Synapsida, Therapsida, Mammalia, Placentalia, Primates, Hominidae, Ponginae
When: ~ 9,000,000 B.C.E. to 100,000 B.C.E.
Where: Asia - China, Indonesia, and Vietnam
Size: *see below*
Diet: Herbivore

Gigantopithecus blacki was, as a far as current science is aware, the largest primate ever. Males were larger than females. Most estimates place adult males at 1,200 pounds (544 kilograms) and females at around half that. (I should probably note that older estimates suggest G. blacki was much smaller, about as big as a big gorilla. However, although these estimates are sometimes referenced, they are generally considered false.) Due to the fragmentary nature of its fossil remains Gigantopithecus' appearance is not fully known. It possibly resembled modern gorillas, because of its supposedly similar lifestyle (aka it was likely predominately terrestrial given its size). Some scientists, however, think it probably looked more like its closest extant relative, the orangutan. I've even heard it may of looked like a cross between the two: a gorilla body with an orangutan face. G. blacki's method of locomotion is not certain, as no pelvic or leg bones have been found. The dominant view is that this species walked on hands and feet like modern chimps and gorilla; however, a minority opinion favors bipedal locomotion. This was most notably advocated by the Grover Krantz, but this assumption is based only on the very few jawbone remains found, all of which are U-shaped and widen towards the rear. This allows room for the windpipe to be within the jaw, allowing the skull to sit squarely on a fully erect spine as in modern humans, rather than roughly in front of it, as in the other great apes. Despite this, the majority view is that the weight of such a large, heavy animal would put enormous stress on the creature's legs, ankles, and feet if it walked bipedally; while if it walked on all four limbs, like gorillas, its weight would be better distributed over each limb. Based on the upper estimates, Gigantopithecus possibly had few or no enemies when fully grown. However, younger, weak, or injured individuals may have been vulnerable to predation by big felids, crocodiles, large constrictor snakes, hyenas, and H. erectus. Most evidence points to Gigantopithecus being an obligate herbivore. The features of teeth and jaws suggested that the animal was adapted to chewing tough, fibrous food by cutting, crushing, and grinding it. Gigantopithecus teeth also have a large number of cavities, similar to those found in giant pandas, whose diet, which includes a large amount of bamboo, may be similar to that of Gigantopithecus. In addition to bamboo, Gigantopithecus consumed other plants, as suggested by the analysis of the phytoliths adhering to its teeth. An examination of the microscopic scratches and gritty plant remains embedded in Gigantopithecus teeth suggests that they also fed on seeds and fruit. A 2016 study found that the genus Gigantopithecus went extinct when during the Pleistocene era more and more forested areas turned into savanna landscapes and then there was simply an insufficient food supply for the giant ape.

Picture and Information Sources:

Batto · 9 May 2019

Hipporex said:
This was most notably advocated by the Grover Krantz, but this assumption is based only on the very few jawbone remains found, all of which are U-shaped and widen towards the rear.

One might add that (the) Grover Krantz was a "wild hominid" supporter and considered Gigantopithecus sp. as the explanation for the sightings of Yeti, Sasquatch etc. Hence the bipedal theory.
Given how few fossils of all Gigantopithecus species (just teeth and said jawbone pieces) have been found, I'm always amazed how much can be interpreted from such little remains.

Hipporex · 9 May 2019

Batto said:
One might add that (the) Grover Krantz was a "wild hominid" supporter and considered Gigantopithecus sp. as the explanation for the sightings of Yeti, Sasquatch etc. Hence the bipedal theory.

Ahh yes the bigfoot-Gigantopithecus theory, I remember reading about that. I suppose it's not surprising that THE Grover Krantz was in that boat.

Batto said:
Given how few fossils of all Gigantopithecus species (just teeth and said jawbone pieces) have been found, I'm always amazed how much can be interpreted from such little remains.

Yes, and there in lies the problem with trying to reconstruct extinct species and ecosystems from a little more than bones, trackways, and rocks (yes I know there is actually more but I'm trying to make a point here) is that we "know" basically nothing and have to theorize basically everything. I mean there was once a time when we "knew" Tyrannosaurus rex dragged its tail on the ground, there was once a time when we "knew" Iguanodon had a nasal horn, and there was even once a time when we "knew" sauropods were swamp giants because their weight made it impossible for them to move on dry land. In my opinion that's also a bit of the allure of paleontology: you get to imagine, wonder, and speculate. Unlike with modern animals where most of the answers are right in front of our noses (however in all fairness even some of those answers still require some imagination, but not nearly as much). It's like witnessing a murder versus having to piece together a murder after the fact with very little clues. We get to use...

In other words, part of what makes T. rex so cool is the fact that we'll never see a T. rex.

Hipporex · 10 May 2019

NUMBER SIXTY-FOUR: "Some things start out big, and some things start out small, very small. But sometimes the smallest thing can make the biggest changes of all." (from Disney's 2000 film Dinosaur)

Animal: Suskityrannus hazelae
Name Pronunciation: Sue-ski-tie-ran-us hay-zel-ay
Name Meaning: "Hazel's coyote tyrant;" suski (meaning "coyote" in Zuni, the language of a local Native America tribe) + tyrannus (meaning "tyrant" in Ancient Greek) + hazelae (honors Hazel Wolfe, wife of Douglass Wolfe, one of the species's describers)
Named By: Sterling Nesbitt et al. - 2019
Classification: Life, Eukaryota, Animalia, Chordata, Vertebrata, Gnathostomata, Osteichthyes, Sarcopterygii, Tetrapodomorpha, Tetrapoda, Reptiliomorpha, Amniota, Sauropsida, Eureptilia, Sauria, Archosauromorpha, Archosauriformes, Archosauria,‭ ‬Dinosauria,‭ ‬Saurischia,‭ ‬Theropoda,‭ Tyrannosauroidea
When: ~ 92,000,000 B.C.E. (Turonian stage of the Late Cretaceous epoch)
Where: North America - United States - New Mexico - Moreno Hill Formation
Size: *See below*
Diet: Carnivore

In 1997 and 1998, two partial skeletons were discovered in western New Mexico. One of the skeletons (the 1998 find), was discovered by Sterling Nesbitt, then a high school junior with a burgeoning interest in paleontology. These two skeletons were written off as dromaeosaur but received no official description. From 1998 until 2006, the fossils remain stored at the Arizona Museum of Natural History in Mesa, Arizona. In 2006, Nesbitt, now a full-fledged paleontologist, finally became reunited with his old skeleton friend and on May 6, 2019, he published his finding. He formally described the species as a basal tyrannosauroid. The two specimens of Suskityrannus stood roughly 3 feet (0.91 meters) tall and 9 feet (2.74 meters) long and estimated to have weighed between 45 to 90 pounds (20.41 to 40.82 kilograms). Both are thought to have been juveniles. One of the specimens was concluded to be 3 years old based on bone rings. How big the adults could have gotten is anyone's guess. The skull of Suskityrannus and its feet were more slender than other tyrannosaurs. The species already possesses many key features of the tyrannosaurid body plan, including the phylogenetically earliest record of an arctometatarsalian foot in tyrannosauroids. One thing that is not known is how many fingers this guy had as only a teeny tiny bit of forelimb material is know. However it likely had 3 as is typical for tyrannosauroids (unlike tyrannosaurids which generally only had 2). The area in New Mexico of where Suskityrannus lived was a fossil rich area. It was a transition period between the early Cretaceous fauna and the latest Cretaceous fauna. The area was a lush, green, wet, and dense with dinosaurs. This formation would have been a gulf coast with rain and heavy amounts of vegetation. Three other named dinosaurs are known from the Moreno Hill Formation: Jeyawati rugoculus (a hadrosauroid), Nothronychus mckinleyi (a therizinosaurid), and Zuniceratops christopheri (a ceratopsoid). There is also evidence for an unnamed ankylosaurian. Adult Suskityrannus were likely the ecosystem's apex predators.

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(Below: Nesbitt and his very old friend)

(Below: Jeyawati rugoculus)

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(Below: Nothronychus mckinleyi)

(Below: Zuniceratops christopheri)

Picture and Information Sources:

One last interesting thing, although the scene mainly focused on Nothronychus, in 2011 a hypothetical adult version of Suskityrannus appeared in BBC's TV show Planet Dinosaur where it was refereed to as "Zunityrannus." (At this time, even though the species hadn't been formally described yet, scientists at least had figured out it wasn't a dromaeosaur and now believed it was a tyrannosaur. Turns out they ended up being right.)

Hipporex · 11 May 2019

NUMBER SIXTY-FIVE: Meet the largest pelican of all time.

Animal: Stomatosuchus inermis
Name Pronunciation: Stow-mat-o-sue-kuss in-er-miss
Name Meaning: "Weaponless mouth crocodile"
Named By: Ernst Stromer - 1925
Classification: Life, Eukaryota, Animalia, Chordata, Vertebrata, Gnathostomata, Osteichthyes, Sarcopterygii, Tetrapodomorpha, Tetrapoda, Reptiliomorpha, Amniota, Sauropsida, Eureptilia, Sauria, Archosauromorpha, Archosauriformes, Archosauria,‭ Pseudosuchia, Paracrocodylomorpha, Loricata, Crocodylomorpha, Crocodyliformes, Mesoeucrocodylia, Metasuchia, Notosuchia
When: ~ 95,000,000 B.C.E. (Cenomanian stage of the Late Cretaceous epoch)
Where: Africa - Egypt - Bahariya Formation
Size: 33 feet (10.09 meters) long
Diet: Carnivore

As far as current science is aware Stomatosuchus was the 7th longest crocodylomorph of all time. But, even though it exceeded 30 feet long, it is not its size that makes Stomatosuchus stand out but its presumed feeding strategy. Its flattened skull had a long, flat, lid-like u which was lined with small, conical teeth. The lower jaw is thought to have been toothless and sported a pelican-like throat pouch. This is unprecedented among crocodylomorphs. What Stomatosuchus ate remains mystery but most think that it ate fishes. It have either been a active predator or simply could have waited for a fish to pass by and then suck in water with its throat muscles drawing the fish inside. It could then close the upper jaw and constrict its pouch to squeeze the water out while the upper teeth prevented the fish from escaping. The only known specimen is a large skull which was collected during one of German paleontologist Ernst Stromer's Egyptian expeditions. Re-examining this skull using modern techniques could shed some more light upon how Stomatosuchus lived. The only problem? The skull, along with many other Stromer discoveries (including the first Spinosaurus specimen), were being destroyed by an allied bombing raid on Munich in 1944. The specimens were being kept at the Munich Museum. Worried, Stromer asked the museum's owner to move to specimens, but the museum's owner, a Nazi, refused and what Stromer feared came to pass. 95 million years ago the Bahariya Formation was far from the desert it is today as it was a lush swamp similar to today's Okavango Delta. Stomatosuchus likely spent most of its time in the water as on land roamed the massive meat-eating theropods Carcharodontosaurus and Bahariasaurus. But even life in the water was risky as it would of swam alongside freshwater sharks, massive sawfish, and even the largest theropod ever, Spinosaurus. Scientists have dubbed this area the "River of Giants."

(Below: Carcharodontosaurus)

(Below: Bahariasaurus)

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(Below: Spinosaurus)

Picture and Information Sources:

Hipporex · 16 May 2019

NUMBER SIXTY-SIX: Poor little Mononykus, all the other dinosaurs on the playground called him Stubby McStubby-arms.

Animal: Mononykus olecranus
Name Pronunciation: Mono-nike-us ole-crane-us
Name Meaning: "One claw and elbow hand"
Named By: Perle et al. - 1993
Classification: Life, Eukaryota, Animalia, Chordata, Vertebrata, Gnathostomata, Osteichthyes, Sarcopterygii, Tetrapodomorpha, Tetrapoda, Reptiliomorpha, Amniota, Sauropsida, Eureptilia, Sauria, Archosauromorpha, Archosauriformes, Archosauria,‭ ‬Dinosauria,‭ ‬Saurischia,‭ ‬Theropoda,‭ Alvarezsauridae, Mononykini
When: ~ 70,000,000 B.C.E. ( stage of the Late Cretaceous epoch)
Where: Asia - Mongolia - Nemegt Formation
Size: 3.3 feet (1 meter) long
Diet: Carnivore (?)

Mononykus was originally named Mononychus, but later that year, was renamed because the original name had been occupied by a beetle. A biped, Mononykus moved about on long, skinny legs. It was likely very nimble and could run at high speeds, which would aided it in evading predators on the open flood plains it called home. It had a small skull, and its teeth were small and pointed. Its large eyes might have allowed Mononykus to move by night, when it was cooler and there would have been fewer predators about. It had very strange, stubby forearms each with one large, approximately 3.0-inch (7.5-centimeter) long claw (hence its name). The purpose of these highly specialized arms is still a mystery, but some scientists have suggested they were used to break open termite mounds (like modern anteaters), and therefore it is possible that they fed primarily on insects. Mononykus is usually reconstructed with a covering of feathers. Indeed, in the fossil of its relative Shuvuuia feather traces were discovered, proving that Alvarezsauridae were among the non-avaian theropod lineages known with feathery or downy integument. Here is a species of a few of the animals that lived alongside Mononykus: Deinocheirus mirificus (an ornithomimosaurian), Gallimimus bullatus (an ornithomimosaurid), Nemegtosaurus mongoliensis (a sauropod), Saurolophus angustirostris (a hadrosaurid), Tarbosaurus bataar (a tyrannosaurid), Tarchia teresae (an ankylosaur), and Therizinosaurus cheloniformis (a therizinosaurid).

(Below: A couple over-sized Mononykus statues appeared in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom)

(Below: Deinocheirus mirificus)

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(Below: Gallimimus bullatus)

(Below: Nemegtosaurus mongoliensis)

(Below: Saurolophus angustirostris)

(Below: Tarbosaurus bataar)

(Below: Tarchia teresae)

(Below: Therizinosaurus cheloniformis)

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Picture and Information Sources:

Hipporex · 18 May 2019

NUMBER SIXTY-SEVEN: Mangatsika! (If you're apart of Gen Z and you don't know what this is referencing...forshame!!!)

Animal: Archaeoindris fontoynontii
Name Pronunciation: Ar-key-o-in-driss fon-toy-nont-ee
Name Meaning: "Fontoynont's ancient indri;" fontoynontii honors Antoine Maurice Fontoynont, who the president of the Malagasy Academy at the time
Named By: Herbert F. Standing - 1909
Classification: Life, Eukaryota, Animalia, Chordata, Vertebrata, Gnathostomata, Osteichthyes, Sarcopterygii, Tetrapodomorpha, Tetrapoda, Reptiliomorpha, Amniota, Synapsida, Therapsida, Mammalia, Placentalia, Primates, Lemuriformes, Palaeopropithecidae
When: Became extinct around 350 B.C.E.
Where: Africa - Madagascar - Ampasambazimba
Size: 350 pounds (158.8 kilograms) / 4.9 feet (1.5 meters) tall
Diet: Herbivore

Comparable in size to an adult male gorilla,‭ Archaeoindris‬ is currently considered one of the largest primates ever and the largest lemur of all time. ‬Its remains have been found at only one location: Ampasambazimba, a subfossil site in central Madagascar. Misattributions and limited remains have resulted in varying opinions about the way Archaeoindris moved about its environment, ranging from tree-dwelling to ground-dwelling. Its skeleton suggests it was a deliberate climber that visited the ground to travel. The diet of Archaeoindris was mostly leaves (a view supported by wear patterns on its teeth), and its habitat—prior to human arrival—was a mix of woodlands, bushlands, and savanna, rich in lemur diversity. (Today, the region is dominated by grasslands and lemur diversity is very low.) Archaeoindris's closest living relatives are the members of Indriidae, which includes the indri (Indri indri), the sifakas (genus Propithecus), and the woolly lemurs (genus Avahi). Archaeoindris lived alongside species that are still alive, like the crowned sifaka (Propithecus coronatus), but also species that have also gone into extinction, like the Malagasy aardvark (genus Plesiorycteropus), the Malagasy dwarf hippopotamus (Hexaprotodon madagascariensis), giant fossa (Cryptoprocta spelea), the elephant bird (Aepyornis maximus) and the Malagasy crowned eagle (Stephanoaetus mahery).

(Below: Ampasambazimba)

(Below: Crowned sifaka)

(Below: Malagasy aardvark)

(Below: Malagasy dwarf hippopotamus)

(Below: Giant fossa)

(Below: Elephant bird)

(Below: Malagasy crowned eagle attacking a lemur)

Picture and Information Sources:

Hipporex · 25 May 2019

NUMBER SIXTY-EIGHT: Dinosaur-eating insect? Why not.

Animal: Gigatitan
Name Pronunciation: "Giant titan"
Name Meaning: Gig-uh-tie-tan
Named By: Aleksandr Grigorevich Sharov - 1968
Classification: Life, Eukaryota, Animalia, Arthropoda,‭ Insecta, Orthopterida, Titanoptera, Gigatitanidae
Species: G. extensus, G. magnificus, and G. vulgaris (type species)
When: ~ 235,000,000 B.C.E. (Carnian stage of the Late Triassic epoch)
Where: Asia - Kyrgyzstan - Madygen Formation
Size: 14-inch (35.56-cm) wingspan
Diet: Carnivore

Gigatitan looked like a large mantis but if was in fact a titanopteran, a group of insects closely related to today's crickets, grasshoppers, and katydids. However, this bug had proportionally weaker hindlegs that could not allow the animals to leap They were formidable predators, armed with raptorial legs covered on hooks to catch prey. As it had wings, Gigatitan was capable of flight. They also had special sound-producing structures, meaning they could actually call and sing like modern crickets, although the largest species probably had voices much louder and deeper than their modern counterparts. Surely the Late Triassic forests must have been alive with chirping, squeaking, and buzzing we can only imagine today.

Picture and Information Sources:

Hipporex · 25 May 2019

Apparently the Gigatitan post was my 1,000th post. Well that's exciting. I just wanted to say that I've really enjoyed being on this forum and getting to learn so much new information about zoos and animals in general. I've also enjoyed getting to know some of you (and hopefully the feeling is mutual). I think my earliest posts were kind of me just talking out of my arse but I believe that since then I've found a better niche and have contributed something positive to this website. Or at least that's what I hope anyway! Have a good rest of your day.

Also sidenote but today I have an interview for the volunteer program at the Sacramento Zoo. Fingers crossed it goes well!

amur leopard · 25 May 2019

Hipporex said:
Apparently the Gigatitan post was my 1,000th post. Well that's exciting. I just wanted to say that I've really enjoyed being on this forum and getting to learn so much new information about zoos and animals in general. I've also enjoyed getting to know some of you (and hopefully the feeling is mutual). I think my earliest posts were kind of me just talking out of my arse but I believe that since then I've found a better niche and have contributed something positive to this website. Or at least that's what I hope anyway! Have a good rest of your day.

Congratulations!

Hipporex · 26 May 2019

NUMBER SIXTY-NINE: Caught in the act

Animal: Allaeochelys
Name Pronunciation: Ah-la-ee-oh-keel-iss
Named By: Jean-Baptiste Noulet - 1867
Classification: Life, Eukaryota, Animalia, Chordata, Vertebrata, Gnathostomata, Osteichthyes, Sarcopterygii, Tetrapodomorpha, Tetrapoda, Reptiliomorpha, Amniota, Sauropsida, Eureptilia, Sauria, Archosauromorpha, Pantestudines, Testudines, Cryptodira, Trionychia, Carettochelyidae, Carettochelyinae, Allaeochelyin
Species: A. crassesculpta, A. delheidi, A. libyca, A. lingnanica, A. magnifica, A. parayrei, and A. rouzilhacensis
When: ~ 47,000,000 B.C.E. (Lutetian stage of the Eocene epoch)
Where: Asia (China), Europe (Belgium, France, Germany, Romania, and Spain) and North America (United States (Texas and Virginia))
Size: 7.9 inches to 1 foot (20 to 30.48 centimeters) long
Diet: Omnivore

In 2012, an amazing discovery was made: the first direct evidence of prehistoric vertebrate mating. (For invertebrates, there are numerous examples in the scientific literature of copulating insects being caught in amber.) The study, led by Walter Joyce of the University of Tübingen in Germany, provides the first direct evidence of prehistoric turtle sex. “The Messel Lake fossil site has produced tens of thousands of fossils, but only these [18] turtles are found in pairs,” says Joyce. The puzzling pairs have raised eyebrows for years, but Joyce and colleagues have now confirmed that the turtles died in a mating embrace. As with modern turtles, the sexes of the fossil turtles, A. crassesculpta, can be distinguished by characteristics of their shells and tails. Females have a hinge on their shells that is thought to allow them to lay eggs, and, unlike in females, males' tails extend past the edge of the shell. Also, most of the paired turtles were found with “their rear ends oriented towards one another” indicating that the turtles were in close contact just before death, Joyce points out, and in two specimens, “the tails of the partners are aligned with each other”. The aligned tails, he says, are “the true smoking gun that allowed us to conclude that the turtles died while mating”. Like their living cousins, the fossil turtles probably stopped swimming when they started mating. The pairs then sank through the water column, but Messel Lake held a hidden danger. Below the surface waters, paleontologists have hypothesized, was a layer poisoned by volcanic gases or rotting organic material. Since the skin of some turtles can act as a respiratory membrane, the turtles were killed as the poisons accumulated in their bodies. “Many animals enter a trance-like state when mating or laying eggs, and it is possible that these turtles simply did not notice that they were entering poisonous waters before it was too late.” Joyce says. Ultimately, the same harsh conditions on the bottom kept their bodies safe from scavengers as sediment accumulated on top of them. Allaeochelys's closest living relative is the odd-looking Fly River turtle (Carettochelys insculpta). One last fun fact: One of the Velociraptor vocalizations (the "barking" sound they make) for Jurassic Park was created using the romantic sounds of turtle sex.

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(Below: Fly River turtle)

Picture and Information Sources:

amur leopard · 26 May 2019

Hipporex said:
NUMBER SIXTY-NINE: Caught in the act

You couldn't have timed that one better XD

Hipporex · 26 May 2019

amur leopard said:
You couldn't have timed that one better XD

Yes, contrary to popular belief I actually know what I'm doing

amur leopard · 26 May 2019

Hipporex said:
Yes, contrary to popular belief I actually know what I'm doing

Lol yes I know you knew....

Hipporex · 27 May 2019

NUMBER SEVENTY: I wanted to post a new profile but didn't feel like typing it out so here is a video I made for my YouTube channel 2 years ago about the giant short-faced kangaroo (Procoptodon goliah):

Picture and Information Sources:

I have more videos on my channel about prehistoric animals that I can link if you'd guys like, or would you I exclusively due the typed profiles?

Hipporex · 27 May 2019

NUMBER SEVENTY-ONE: The elephant-eating snake...or not

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Animal: Gigantophis garstini
Name Pronunciation: Jie-gan-toe-fiss gar-stin-ee
Name Meaning: "Garstin's giant snake;" named after British construction engineer Sir William Garstin
Named By: Charles William Andrews - 1901
Classification: Life, Eukaryota, Animalia, Chordata, Vertebrata, Gnathostomata, Osteichthyes, Sarcopterygii, Tetrapodomorpha, Tetrapoda, Reptiliomorpha, Amniota, Sauropsida, Eureptilia, Sauria, Lepidosauromorpha, Lepidosauria, Squamata, Toxicofera, Ophidia, Serpentes, Madtsoiidae
When: ~ 37,000,000 B.C.E. to 35,000,000 B.C.E. (Priabonian stage of the Eocene epoch)
Where: North Africa and Pakistan
Size: *see below*
Diet: Carnivore

For over a hundred years Gigantophis was regarded as the largest snake ever,‭ ‬a title that has since been handed to the even larger Titanoboa in ‬2009.‭ Still even at the lower estimate of just over 30 feet (9.1 meters) long Gigantophis is still bigger than the reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus) which is thought to be the largest known snake today at a maximum of just over 25 feet (7.6 meters). So a giant snake would of obviously eaten giant prey, right? Well, not exactly. See as Gigantophis lived alongside the primitive proboscidean Moeritherium, many sources describe it as an "elephant-eating snake." But the thing is, despite its size, Gigantophis wouldn't of been able to swallow prey as large as an adult Moeritherium. As Gigantophis was a madstoiid it wouldn’t have the complex, distensible jaws of more derived snakes like Titanoboa. So even though it was a giant snake, it was physically restricted to (relatively) smaller animals. That still doesn't mean a baby Moeritherium couldn't have made a nice evening snack. This species was nonvenomous and killed by constriction. Due to its extreme size and environment, Gigantophis is hypothesized to have been semiaquatic like the modern green anaconda (Eunectes murinus). So what did Gigantophis subsist itself on? Probably mostly fishes.

(Below: Gigantophis alongside several other giant snakes)

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(Below: Moeritherium)

Picture and Information Sources:

Hipporex · 29 May 2019

NUMBER SEVENTY-TWO: Giant trash pandas, 'nuff said

Animal: Giant raccoon (Chapalmalania)
Name Pronunciation: Chap-al-mal-ania
Name Meaning: Named after the Chapadmalal Formation
Named By: Florentino Ameghino - 1908
Species: C. altaefrontis (type species) and C. orthognatha
Classification: Life, Eukaryota, Animalia, Chordata, Vertebrata, Gnathostomata, Osteichthyes, Sarcopterygii, Tetrapodomorpha, Tetrapoda, Reptiliomorpha, Amniota, Synapsida, Therapsida, Mammalia, Placentalia, Carnivora, Caniformia, Procyonidae
When: ~ 3,600,000 B.C.E. to 3,000,000 B.C.E. (Piacenzian stage of the Pliocene epoch)
Where: South America - Argentina and Columbia
Size: *see below*
Diet: Omnivore (?)

The giant raccoon was not a true raccoon as true raccoons belong to the genus Procyon. The giant raccoon is currently the largest known procyonid ever. It measured 5 to 5.5 feet (1.5 to 1.7 m) long, stood 2.6 to 3.2 feet (80 to 100 cm) tall, and weighed 77 to 176 pounds (35 to 80 kg) (yes, I know that's a wide range but it's hard to estimate the size of an extinct animal). Its tail was much smaller than those of its living relatives. The giant raccoon has been described as looking like a giant panda. Due to this animal's size, it was originally described as an ursid. It evolved from the Cyonasua, which probably island from Central America during the late Miocene (~ 7,500,000 B.C.E.), as perhaps the one of the earliest southward mammalian migrants of the Great American Interchange. When the Isthmus of Panama rose from the sea to allow further invasions by other North American species, like saber-tooth cats, Chapalmalania and many other South American species were unable to compete and became extinct. Sediments indicate the giant raccoon lived on plains of rich pampas grassland with some woody vegetation and numerous streams. Rainfall was probably significant, but the climate was at least as warm as present-day climate of this region; it probably wasn't impacted by the approaching ice age. Like some procyonids, it is believed this genus was a generalist, eating anything from plants to eggs, from fishes to fruits, and from carrion to insects.

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Hipporex · 30 May 2019

NUMBER SEVENTY-TWO: In honor of World Otter Day

Animal: Enhydriodon dikikae
Name Pronunciation: En-hi-dry-oh-dawn dek-ek-a
Named By: Denis Geraads et al. - 2011
Classification: Life, Eukaryota, Animalia, Chordata, Vertebrata, Gnathostomata, Osteichthyes, Sarcopterygii, Tetrapodomorpha, Tetrapoda, Reptiliomorpha, Amniota, Synapsida, Therapsida, Mammalia, Placentalia, Carnivora, Caniformia, Mustelidae,
Lutrinae
When: ~ 4,000,000 B.C.E. (Zanclean stage of the Pliocene epoch)
Where: Africa - Ethiopia - Dikika
Size: *see below*
Diet: Carnivore

The adult sea otter (Enhydra lutris), typically weighing between 31 and 99 pounds (14 and 45 kg) is the largest living mustelid. However the sea otter is small fry compared to E. dikikae, which is currently considered the largest mustelid ever. Estimates put it at about 440 pounds (200 kg). The fossils of E. dikikae had limb bones that were thinner than predominately aquatic otters but weaker than fully terrestrial carnivorans, suggesting aquatic and non-aquatic adaptations. It is likely that this species spent more time on land than in the water. When E. dikikae was alive, Dikika was a combination of woodland and shrubland. Fossils found alongside E. dikikae suggest it shared its environment with hippos (Hippopotamus amphibius), crocodiles, and a diverse array of fishes. What did this species eat? Analysis of the teeth and jaws suggest it was built to eat hard foods, meaning its menu could have included bivalves, crocodiles, ostrich eggs, turtles, and/or mollusks.

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amur leopard · 30 May 2019

Hipporex said:
NUMBER SEVENTY-TWO: In honor of World Otter Day

Guess what: On World Otter day this year, Oscar Otte played Roger Federer in tennis and lost miserably....

PS- I subbed to you.

Hipporex's Guide to Interesting and Unique Prehistoric Fauna

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