PREHISTORIC WORLD

Fish, what a great being is!

Fish is very important for other animals. They sustain other life by being eaten. As long as concern of visibility, we can actually see huge quantity of fish is eaten by itself, mammals, human, and etc.

Baryonyx that lived in England around 125 million years ago mainly ate fish. They had distinguished claws, which was probably used to hook fish out of water and their teeth were serrated to seize slimy fish. Oldest fossilized fish is probably Arandaspis, which is about 500 million years old. Arandaspis had suckers instead of jaws like modern lamprey eel does.

By the way Italian ate fried eel, which called in Italian “anguilla” especially in Naples. Japanese also like grilled eel not sashimi though, but number of wild eel is decreased and very expensive now.

Three survivors

Odontochelys that lived in China 220 million years ago is known as the oldest turtle ever discovered so far. Unfortunately it was extinct, but the other turtles survive and continue to thrive. On the other hand Tuatara that is lizard like creature was also appeared on Earth 220 million years ago and its descendant still live in New Zealand!!

Frogs are threatened by epidemic disease now. That already wipes some of species out. Frogs have long history as turtles do. Vieraella is the earliest frog and it lived together with dinosaurs in Jurassic period (about 140 – 220 million years ago).

The feature is a Tail club

Ankylosaurus was a heavily armoured dinosaur of which even head was protected with helmet like bone.

From its characteristic mouth inferred Ankylosaurus was an herbivore. But present-day a hippo which is also herbivore can go terribly mad.　If Ankylosaurus was threatened, adult one was big and strong, about 11 m long and up to 4 tons in weight, enough to defend by itself from carnivorous dinosaurs. T-rex might get blow from its powerful tail club.

Family of Nodosaurus had armoured body but they do not have club tail.

Ankylosaurus existed in North America about 65 million years ago.

Moonlight hunting

Troodon was roaming around North America and Central West Asia about 70 to 65 million years ago. Troodon was a relatively small dinosaur about 2 meters from head to tail, 1 meter tall. The brain of Troodon was very large relative to its body mass. With its big forward facing eyes, Troodon might have had good depth perception and night vision like today’s bushbaby. Troodon had a sharp head and light slender body, so it could probably quickly maneuver itself within bush forest. On the other hand, Triceratops had heavy solid frill with big horns. Those were very good defensive equipments against large predators like T.rex. Full-grown Triceratops was about 9 meter long in length, 3 meter tall and weight up to 6 to 12 tons. Based on fossilized footprint, Triceratops walked slowly with its 4 short legs. After nightfall, the team Troodon had an advantage.

Oceanic champion of all time

Liopleurodon was a huge marine predator whose fossil was found in Europe and Central America. Liopleurodon had massive body, which was at least 25 meters long, yet it was able to swim very fast with its fins. Liopleurodon also had quite keen sent to hunt its pray. Sharks have had their ancestors since 409 million years ago. Modern sharks do not have natural enemies except their own species but they were easy snacks for Liopleurodon 160 to 150 million years ago. Probably Liopleurodon was on the top of the food chain at that time.

By the way, the oldest fossilized crab was found in Rumania. It was 150 million years old. The ammonite also had long history itself. It lived 400 to 60 million years ago around the world. Nowadays, the nautilus has the vestige of the ammonite.

T.rex in Action!

It was not certain whether the Parasaurolophus was killed by the Tyrannosaurus or not. Ceratosaurus lived during the Jurassic period (203 – 135 million years ago) in North America. The body size of relatives of Ceratosaurus was 4.5 to 6 meters long, so it was no much to the Tyrannosaurus which grew up to 12 meters long. Although Tyrannosaurus had huge powerful jaws with big sharp teeth, they swallow meat without chewing. By doing so led them into trouble. One fossil shows that a relative of Tyrannosaurus was choked to death because two bones were stuck in its throat.

Tyrannosaurus lived in North America during the Cretaceous period (135 – 65 million years ago). Some of relatives also lived in China.

Catch me if you can.

The fossil of Xiphactinus, which lived 87-65 million years ago, was found in North America. Despite it's size, which was up to 6 meters long, Xiphactinus could swim very fast to hunt fish, sea birds, and even Pterosaurs. It was possible that this formidable killer fish could jump well above sea surface to catch their prays like the Great White Shark does in modern days. Pteranodon was probably flying all over the world. Although Pteranodon had long wing span, which was reached 9 meters long, was very light weight about 20 kg. Pteranodon was gliding over lakes, river mouth or sea coast to catch fish.

Alien like crests were probably being used to attract females. "It was so close!!" he said.