Scientists say that although millions of living things have been discovered on earth, this is a very small proportion and there are millions more living things still waiting to be discovered. Although people generally think that the whole order of the world belongs to them, when they think of the millions of creatures living with us, people are quite a minority.
Based on a simple knowledge we learned at school, the living world is divided into five realms. However, as will be seen in the content a little later, some creatures have such strange appearances and features that they cannot even be safely included in any class.
Here, we have compiled the animals in our content that you will be surprised to have lived in the past, and sometimes you may think that they are extinct.
Interesting animals that look like they’re straight out of fantasy movies and we won’t even believe they’re alive:
- Titanoboa
- Gliptodon
- Helicoprion
- Archelon
- Dunkleosteus
- Opabinya
- Quetzalcoatlus
- Hallucigenia
- Archaeopteryx
Enazor
Even bigger than the Anaconda: Titanoboa
Even bigger than the Anaconda, the world’s largest snake with its frightening size There is an extinct snake: Titanoboa. This giant snake, which lived 58 million years ago in the jungles of South America, could reach 14 meters in length and 1 ton in weight.
Titanoboas, which are thought to be poisonous as expected from their frightening appearance, are not poisonous, but the pressure they can apply by enveloping their prey, thanks to their size, is much more lethal. So much so that scientists have explained that a Titanoboa can exert a pressure similar to being crushed under a steel bridge.
Turtle-like creature with a funny appearance: Gliptodon
Resembling an armored and huge tortoise, Gliptodons became extinct about 10,000 years ago. Glyptodons, which attract attention with their funny appearance, were discovered to be 3.5 meters long and 2 tons in weight.
The most striking features are the structure of their shells and tails. Each Gliptodon’s shell and tail have a distinctive armor-like pattern, just like fingerprints.
Teeth structure not seen in any other living thing: Helicoprion
There is an extinct shark species that lived even before dinosaurs: Helicoprion. The most striking feature of the helicoprions is their teeth, which is also the meaning of the name, and resembles a spiral saw. Although the body of this shark species, which lived 280 million years ago, looks very familiar, its spiral tooth structure is unlike any other creature. As you might think from its appearance, each protrusion in the helix is not a separate tooth, on the contrary, it is a monolith. So it’s all an extension of the helix.
When the dental fossils of the helicopyr were first found, it was not clear what it was, and it was thought that it was a cephalopod, spiral-shaped creature called ammonite. However, after the protrusions on this spiral structure were noticed, this creature was named Helikoprion, which means spiral and saw in Greek.
The largest of the sea turtles: Archelon
The extinct Archelon, the largest genus of sea turtles, has a gigantic appearance as it can reach twice the size of a human. Archelons, thought to have lived between 66 and 100 million years ago, typically resemble a sea turtle, but have particularly strong forelimbs.
A creature that draws attention with its armored appearance: Dunkleosteus
Dunkleosteus is a strange-looking fish with an armored structure, thought to have lived 358 million years ago. It can reach 10 meters in length and 4 tons in weight, which can be equivalent to an average of 3 cars. The most striking features of Dunkleosteus are their jaw structures. Except for the strong jaw structure, contrary to what might be thought, their speed is relatively slow for a large breed fish, but they are quite good swimmers. Dunkleosteus, whose fossils have been found in places such as North America, Morocco and Belgium, may also be among the first species to perform egg fertilization, which is also seen in some modern sharks today.
Five eyes, two mouths, a proboscis and a creature: Opabinia
One of the strangest-looking creatures on the list, Opabinias are an extinct arthropod. These creatures, which were thought to last lived 487 million years ago, are quite small and even have a cute appearance with an average length of 6 centimeters. Apart from its fan-like tail and segmented body, it had unusual features such as five eyes, two mouths, and a proboscis.
One of the largest flying animals: Quetzalcoatlus
Quetzalcoatlus, one of the largest known flying animals, has an unusually long neck. Its name derives from the ‘feathered serpent’ mentioned in the legends of the indigenous peoples of Central America. Its fossils have been found in North America. It also has a long beak, which is as surprising as its length. Its beak is quite pointed and long, which allows it to swallow its prey without chewing it because it has no teeth.
Sea worm-like with fantastic appearance: Hallucinogen
A fantastic looking creature with a length of about 3 centimeters and at least 9 pairs of legs: Hallucination. Hallucinogens, to put it briefly, are sea worms. Its most striking feature is the long needle-like pointed structures on the upper parts of its body. There are also uncertainties about exactly which species it is, due to the fact that it has one of the strangest appearances in the evolutionary process. In addition, it is thought that it fed on sponges, since its fossils are generally found on sponges.
Like a cross between a crocodile and a shark: Mossosaur
A carnivorous creature that roams all over the world: Mosaur. Since the first fossils of these creatures were found in a river called the Maas within the borders of the Netherlands, Belgium, and France, the name Mosazor, meaning Maas River lizard, was given. With its crocodile-like head and long fin tail, it has a rather scary yet fantastical appearance. All four limbs on the underside of its body are paddle-like, making it very easy to swim. Having a look like a mix of dinosaurs and crocodiles, Mossaurs, although they lived underwater, were closest to the surface of the water and breathed air just like whales.
An animal that deserves the name ‘hell pig’: Entelodon
The hell pig has frightening names like terminator pig, and it is an extinct species that deserves this name with its appearance. Entelodons are thought to be one of the animals with the highest level of aggression among animals discovered to date. It has a long, broad head, prominently prominent cheekbones, and a short but sturdy neck. Although its appearance resembles a pig, it is estimated that it is more closely related to whales and hippos, according to studies.
One of the oldest known birds: Archaeopteryx
One of the greatest indicators of the transition between flightless feathered dinosaurs and modern birds, this creature is one of the oldest known birds. It was thought to have lived in southern Germany about 150 million years ago. It has a fantastic appearance and also has a small body and large wings in proportion to its body.
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