Unlike many other prehistoric Animals, Mountain “Beaver” (Aplodontia rufa) is still with us. She is neither a Beaver nor an inhabitant of the mountains; instead Mountain “Beaver” is the most primitive Rodent alive today. In the Eocene epoch (about 44 million years ago), Her Family had split off from the Squirrel Family. Since then, She lived in ( Read more... )

Often thought to be a Dinosaur, Dimetrodon, a Pelycosaur (“sail reptile”), is actually more closely related to Mammals. Moreover, this sail-backed Reptile lived thirty millions years before the Dinosaurs. In fact, She was the first apex predator of the land (arising during the Permian Period (about 280 to 260 million years ago)). Not only that, ( Read more... )

The Family of Bears (Ursidae) is usually divided into three Sub-families - Giant Panda (Ailuropodinae), True Bears (Ursinae), and Short-faced Bears (Tremarctinae). Today only Spectacled Bear (Tremarctos ornatus) of South America represents the Short-faced Bear Sub-family. Extinct members of the Tremarctinae included Arctodus pristinus (Lesser Short ( Read more... )

The Great Dying of the Permian Period occurred about 250 million years ago. At that time, about ninety percent of all animals on the earth died out. One group that did survive was the Cynodont Family, which then thrived before the rise of the Dinosaurs (at the end of the Triassic Period). From this group of proto-mammals (Therapsids (Synapsids ( Read more... )

A giant amongst Deer, Megaloceros stood twelve feet (3.5 meters) high with a rack of antlers which were 6.6. feet (two meters). This Giant Deer was well-known for his antlers, which was shaped like two outstretched human palms. Also, his former name of “Irish Elk” was derived from the many bones of his that were first found in Irish bogs. ( Read more... )

As one of the strangest mammals in prehistory, Chalicotherium has baffled paleontologists for a long time. When fossils were first found of this animal, naturalists thought that She had to be a predator. What they had discovered were the long sharp claws of Chalicotherium. Since She had no modern descendents to guide them, paleontologists ( Read more... )

During the Great Dying (at the end of the Permian Period (about 300 million years ago)), nearly 95 percent of life on earth died out. One animal that did survive this terrible time, and latter populated the earth was Lystrosaurus. This remarkable Therapsid (Mammal-Reptile) dominated the earth for about ten million years (approximately 230 million ( Read more... )

After the Dinosaurs died off, Birds became the dominant species, thereby ushering in the Age of Birds. The first giant Bird to emerge in this new age was Gastornis (Diatryma). During the Paleocene epoch and early Eocene epoch (65 million years ago to 40 million years ago), this giant flightless Bird ruled the forests of Europe and North America ( Read more... )

One of the first Animals to have specialized teeth was Cynognathus, a Cynodont (proto-Mammal). This meat-eater had two canines to stab her prey with, and cheek teeth to shear meat off. A cross between Dog and Lizard, Cynognathus was the top predator during the Triassic before the rise of the Dinosaurs. Like modern Wolves, Cynognathus hunted in ( Read more... )

An example of convergent evolution, Thylacosmilus of South America resembled Smilodon (Saber-toothed Cat) of North America. The size of a modern Jaguar, He had a stout muscular body to stalk his prey. Living during the Miocene epoch (eight million years ago (mya) to two mya), this marsupial carnivore was the top predator of South America until ( Read more... )